


Amongst Dragons

by LadyEphania



Category: game of thrones
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-01-01 06:05:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 33,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12150243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyEphania/pseuds/LadyEphania
Summary: Set in an alternate universe where Lyanna survived child birth and Rhaegar defeated Robert. Nyla Hightower only hoped to be a loving wife to some Lord, but now she's been invited to King's Landing. What adventures will await her there?





	1. Chapter 1

His sister was chattering at him, something about flowers. No. Something about the Tyrells. He looked over at her. “Is there a point to this?” He asked.  
Lyarra scowled, mother had gotten her into a dress and told him to watch her. She didn’t say another thing and had simply left, a punishment for the both of them without reason. “Mother thinks you met a girl on the road and that’s why you’ve been so moody lately, I think it went poorly” she said, “so settle the bet.”  
It was his turn to scowl, “nothing happened” he said.  
“No, that’s a lie” she said, “and if you don’t tell I will find out another way” he rolled his eyes but he knew she was right. She would just go ask Varys he was sure. “Was it a girl?” She asked as they sat down on a bench out of the way of the normal bustle of the castle.  
“Yes it was a girl, and yes it did end badly” he said.  
“Did you tell her you were the heir?” She asked.  
“No, I told her I was low born” he said.  
She scoffed, “I doubt she believed it. So she was highborn?” She pressed for details.  
“Yes” he said.  
“So it was a noble girl traveling between old town and HighGarden, probably one of the HighTower girls, I heard that Margaery Tyrell called her cousin to HighGarden for an unexplained reason. That’s Lady Nyla of HighTower” she deducted. Where had she gotten all that information? “Thank you brother” she said kissing his cheek and running off. What had just happened?  
“I’ve found it out mother” she called out to the nearly empty room, she was already stripping out of the dress and putting the pants on that were laying on the bed. My mother the Queen came out fixing up her dress. My mother was beautiful with pale white skin and the features of house stark, dark brown hair and almost coal black eyes. Her beauty even now had no contest that it could start a war.  
“Oh have you?” She asked, “record time no less.”  
“It’s Lady Nyla HighTower as the soldiers told Varys” she said.  
“We need to pay that man better” she said softly to herself.  
“So, what now?” Princess Lyarra asked.  
“Now I need to send a raven”

“My sweet, you have some scrolls” grandmother said handing me the little things stamped and waxed. One was from my father and the other was stamped with the Targaryen seal. She’d never called me my sweet before.  
I frowned at the seal and broke it unrolling the paper, “Lady Nyla of house HighTower, I hope this letter greets you well. I would like to invite you to King’s Landing to speak with you. This message is urgent and I hope to speak with you in person about this soon. Her Grace the Queen Lyanna Targaryen” I read the letter aloud. I read it again, and then again for a third time and that is when Margaery snatched it out of my hands.  
“What? I didn’t know you knew the queen” she said.  
“I don’t” I broke the seal on my father’s letter. It was a note asking me to go to King’s Landing to discuss a deal with the men from the iron bank. I had attempted to marry one of their sons over a year ago, they weren’t interested, but they appreciated the thought and we made a sort of alliance. They wanted me in King’s Landing to show them around in a few months time. Which would mean I would have to learn about King’s Landing, presumably by being there. I was certain both of these messages were coincidences, they had to be.  
“Well you must go dear, I will have everything ready by the end of the fortnight. Of course you will need an ally so I will send Margaery with you, Loras you know what to do” our grandmother said bustling out of the room. I sat in the chair at the breakfast table a bit longer and stared at the two notes, confused.

“This color looks lovely on you” I said referring to the teal dress she was wearing, she spun in the looking glass admiring herself. She was beautiful in ever sense of the word with soft curls that looked as soft as silk and no doubt was. Brown eyes and pale smooth skin. Her figure was more womanly than mine and she was acutely aware of it. Her dresses showed a lot of skin that normally would be seen as obscene or whorish on any other woman but on her it looked divine.  
“Do you think the prince will like it?” She asked, not actually wanting a response, “it’s quite fortunate that you got invited by the queen to King’s Landing, it gives us the reason to go, Lady Olenna has been trying to arrange it for ages” she said.  
“Yes, I suppose. What do you think she wants?” I asked.  
“Perhaps she heard about you and the Iron Bank and wanted to talk to you personally” she said. In all honesty it wasn’t that impressive of an alliance, they had simply said the appreciated the thought but didn’t want to favor anyone. They had agreed to fund a shipping trade we had wanted but that had not been the sole purpose of my trip, I did truly want to marry.  
“Perhaps” I mumbled.  
“Your turn, try on the pink and then the lilac” she said as the seamstress helped me into the pink dress. There was a long cut out of the back that stopped midway. The sleeves were a sheer silk that were in the style of the capital with long draping openings.  
The lilac dress was more of something I would wear in OldTown. With a plain almost sheer dress and a shift underneath, long light sleeves and a design embroidered along my waist where it was pulled in to fit my thin frame.  
“That one looks marvelous” she said, “when I am queen you will have your pick of husbands” she said and I smiled back at her in the looking glass. A face snapped across my memory, curled dark brown hair and dark almost black eyes. I blushed and looked away. “Awe thinking about the wedding night? I’ll give you tips when the time is closer” she winked at me.  
“There are my granddaughters, that one brings out your eyes” our grandmother said coming into the room, “you leave on the morrow, then King’s Landing will finally be able to meet the woman who will change it.”  
“Yes grandmother” Margaery and I said. I had sent a letter home requesting they send some of my dresses to King’s Landing for my arrival and to tell my father of my invitation. I had not heard back from him but I doubted he would reply in the first place. Perhaps I should have sent the note to my mother instead.  
We left the next morning, taking breakfast in the carriage. Grandmother refused to let Margaery ride a horse all the way to King’s Landing so we took our guards and I was to sit with Margaery the whole time we traveled. She mostly talked about what it would be like when she was queen. She had a good heart and a thirst for power, it was an odd combination. I spoke of my life in OldTown now that I was older, she wished for that sort of freedom. It was true I had more freedom than most, an absent father and a busy mother would do that to children. They had given up on us after Ella had left.  
The ride took so much longer than it would have if I had been able to ride alone. I began to think that they actually hadn’t invited Margaery and that she shouldn’t be here, though I admit those thoughts made me feel guilty. My grandmother’s words ringing in the back of my head, “we are family, that is how we will make our way in the world.” That’s what she told the grandchildren, who in her mind were below Margaery, that was all of us.  
We arrived midday one muggy afternoon, riding through the slow streets felt like we might just drop dead right there. Finally we reached the Red Keep, a small party waited outside for us. The hair gave it away, that was princess Danaerys, beside her was another woman that I didn’t know, but who was dressed in similar colors as the princess.  
We rolled the carriage to the front steps and Loras stepped in front to announce us, but mostly Margaery. “May I introduce my beautiful sister Lady Margaery Tyrell of High-“ he began his little speech on Margaery, he had been practicing to get the words exactly right.  
Unfortunately for him the princess was apparently not interested, “you must be Nyla HighTower” she said stepping close enough for me to see just how purple her eyes were, she took my hand, “we have been waiting for you” she said. She was so honest I could see it in her eyes, she squeezed my hand.  
“Why?” I asked.  
“I’ll explain on the walk” she pulled me along.  
“Missendei would you find some rooms for Lady HighTower’s guests” she said and the woman with chocolate skin nodded.  
Just as we entered the castle I heard Margaery shout “What’s going on here?”  
Her pace slowed after a moment, “sorry we just had to get out of eyesight before they saw which way we went” she said.  
“Excuse me princess, but I’m confused” I told her, smoothing my dress.  
“Right right” she said, “we’ve been keeping it a secret from Jon so it’s been rather difficult to let out information. I know of course, Lyarra, The Queen, Varys and the knight who told us” she said, “I’m sorry, do you remember your trip to HighGarden?” She asked but didn’t pause long enough for me to respond, “you met a rugged but handsome young man who insisted on escorting you to your destination. On the way you fell in love and even kissed, but you arrived to HighGarden alone just as you had left OldTown” she said.  
I blushed furiously not out of embarrassment of my actions but because someone else had known about me for a month, like someone had been watching me. “That was not a lowborn boy was it” as my stomach felt like it was going to come out of my throat. I could have gotten that information out of him if I had truly tried.  
“No, Jon has always been so picky with women. You truly cannot fathom the number of matches we’ve tried to make. When Lyanna found out she had to invite you to stay” she said, “this way.” We stepped into a hallway and at the far end I could hear the clanging of swords and the grunting of men. “We received your dresses and put them in your room, you’ll have a beautiful view of the sea” she said.  
“I’ve missed the sea” I admitted to myself quietly, there was nothing like walking the docks early in the morning. Feeling that morning mist and cool breeze was always a wonderful way to start the day.  
“I’m sure, I saw that carriage. I thought you could ride” she said.  
“I can, Margaery isn’t allowed” I explained.  
“Why is she here again?” She asked as we came into the open room. There were two men fighting below, one looked to be some sword master, I knew the look I’d watched my brother’s be trained. The other was the curly black haired lowborn man I’d met in the inn that evening. I felt like someone had just taken revenge on me, and this was it. Perhaps Galan had found out about the laxative berries and this was his doing. That even sounds far fetched to me. The swords master won the fight.  
I wanted to run all the way back home. I felt humiliated that I hadn’t known. I’d never seen the prince, there wasn’t a way for me to know. My feet stayed put with years of practice. If I’d been alone I’d have cursed, loudly. “Lyanna’s going to throw a fit, we should go” she said and pulled me down the hall.  
She took me out to the garden’s and lead me deep inside to where there was a tent pitched for a bit of shade, Queen Lyanna was sitting there picking grapes off a vine.  
“Your grace” I gave a practiced curtsy.  
“Why did you take so long Daenerys?” She asked and I looked back at the princess to see her response.  
“We got a little distracted” she winked at me and left with a swish of her dress.  
“Well eat something and sit, I heard they brought you in a carriage” she said. I’d heard Queen Lyanna once had been wild when she was a girl and that freedom lured men in. She still did as she liked by what I had heard. Though I did as I was told and reached for an orange and began to peel it in my cushioned seat.  
“Yes, Margaery cannot ride” I said though saying it aloud did not make it sound any less ridiculous.  
“Why is she here again?” She asked.  
“I was at HighGarden when I received the letter. Grandmother made me read it aloud” I said.  
“Well we’ll teach you how to say no to them. Gods, I’ve been doing it for years” she said.  
“Your grace may I ask a question?” Queen Lyanna motioned for me to continue “I’ve been told about the truth behind my trip, but I’m still having a hard time understanding why exactly I am here.”  
“To marry my son of course” she said. What?  
“What” I echoed my own thoughts. My grace lost all together in the moment, years of practice washed away in just a few words.  
Someone had been running in this direction, we could hear them but this conversation had seemed so much more important. The man reached us, it was the prince, Jon, out of breath and sweating. “Mother what’re you doing?” He said to her angrily.  
“Oh me? I’m leaving” she said getting up and exiting without another word. The royal family had succeeded in reuniting the two of us and even had done it by leaving us alone together. A family that was definitely capable of coming up with 5 years of excuses as to why the Tyrell children could not visit. It took the prince a moment longer than I to realize what had happened.


	2. Chapter 2

A silence fell over us, I had finished eating the orange. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. Even I had fallen for it, though my lack of knowledge of those who played this game was my undoing. “I’m sorry for lying to you, I didn’t mean. The trip wasn’t about. I didn’t plan” he was having a hard time getting his words out. “Look I’m sorry, I just wanted to be treated like a normal man for once. You could have gotten the information out of me, but you didn’t and you let me have my secrets and I appreciated that” he was rambling, he had never expected to apologize, “but that is no reason to lie to someone” he looked at me in the eyes, he wasn’t expecting me to be staring back and stood up a little straighter. “Would you stop staring at me and say something.”  
“As much as I would like to blame you, you don’t seem to have had any knowledge of this plan from what I’ve gathered. While lying was wrong, there are always circumstances where it is necessary, I can understand that” I had lied a fair amount in my life to do things I was not supposed to. Only once had I actually been caught in my lie and from there I had sworn to do it better. I could visibly see him relax, he sat down in a chair.  
“Welcome to court” he told me reaching for some bread and cheese. “I hope at least you would stay for dinner and then if you wish we could arrange for your way back” he said.  
“I will have business here in a few months, I’d be back before I could reach oldtown” I admitted casting my eyes down.  
“Well perhaps you can stay here until then” oh how kind of the prince to offer.  
“I’ll think about it” I said.  
“I didn’t know about this, but maybe we can find Daenerys to show you to your chambers” he said.

I had changed out of my carriage dress which I would have liked to do sooner if I’d known we were to spend so much time around actual royalty. I wasn’t sure where they had put Margaery or even if I would see her at dinner, Missendei came to walk me to the proper room. “How long have you lived here Missendei?” I asked her.  
“I have been in the service of Princess Daenerys for 2 years, she bought me as a slave and freed me after. I agreed to travel with her for proper pay” she said.  
“You’re quite a business woman, how much do you know about King’s landing?” I asked.  
“I’ve studied it in my spare time, I’ve been learning the streets and the establishments” she said.  
“I know some Braavosi men coming to King’s landing in a few months, where would you suggest I take them?” I asked.  
“I would have to think about that, but I will get back to you” she said as we reached the room, Missendei turned to leave.  
“Aren’t you joining us?” I asked.  
“I am eating with someone else” she said a small smile playing on her lips, I didn’t need to know anymore. I walked in alone and someone quickly grabbed me by the arm, a girl with coal black hair who was younger than myself, perhaps three and ten.  
“This way Lady Nyla, sit next to me” I was rather too close to the head of the table for my liKing, I was sat between the Princess and the Queen. Second chair to the King, Margaery on the other hand was at the end of the table across from an empty seat. I was not the last to arrive, Jon and Daenerys weren’t there yet. They came in a few minutes late after the King had introduced himself, kissing my hand. Jon and Daenerys came in together, they were a pair.  
Jon ended up sitting directly next to his father and Daenerys across from me. She gave me a warm smile and the King said the prayer before our meal. We had light conversation for a bit about the weather and the trip, Princess Lyarra asked Loras about his sword wielding and tourney’s. “Pardon me brother, but aren’t we waiting for someone else your graces?” Margaery asked.  
“Oh the setting is just for show, to honor my late brother Vyserys” he said, we had all heard the tale of the dead prince. The knights called him the dumbest Targaryen that ever was, a lot more than the knights called him that, actually.  
“We are glad for the invitation to dinner” Loras said.  
“Yes after the mishap when we arrived I didn’t know what to think” Margaery said.  
“Lady Nyla tells me that she read my letter aloud, now perhaps correct me did I invite the Tryells by name?” Queen Lyanna asked sharply. A heavy silence fell over the dinner table as Margaery tensed up looking around frantically. Oh gods, her eyes landing on me as I realised I had stepped in front of the human storm that was Margaery Tryell.  
“Daenerys I heard you found a new book, why don’t you tell us about it” the King spoke. Daenerys was more then happy to tell about her adventures across the sea with Missendei and a handful of freed unsullied. She invited me to see her treasures sometime soon. Jon walked me back to my room after dinner, we talked about the awkwardness at dinner and about his aunt Daenerys. I asked if it was weird having an aunt the same age as him and he said they were actually very close friends. We arrived at my door perhaps a little too soon, considering how slow we had been walking.  
“Would you let me give you a tour of the castle tomorrow?” He asked.  
“Yes, I’d like that, Jon” I said testing the name he’d given on the road, he smiled. I closed the door behind me softly and began to take off my dress and change into my sleeping robe. There came a knock on the door and I reached for my robe wrapping it around myself, they knocked again, “I’m coming, was there something else?” I asked yanking open the door only to be pushed over by Margaery. I laid on the ground a minute my backside aching. “Margaery?”  
“You just had to ruin everything didn’t you. I even picked the plain one because you’ve been so smart. He’ll get bored eventually and if you wait until then I’ll make sure you regret it. Leave the prince to me or you’ll be sorry” she said before slamming the door as she left. Perhaps I had just made a horrible mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

Sometimes I wished that the septa’s had chosen an hour past dawn for me to wake up. I had tried desperately to break my inability to sleep late when I was a young girl but to no avail. The septa was always there to make sure I didn’t go back to sleep. My rear still hurt from being pushed, I picked through my dresses not feeling up to wearing or looking at the dresses I had brought from Highgarden. I picked a grey one with slits in it to reveal a white skirt beneath. I ate breakfast in my room, the berries weren’t quite as sweet as they were in Oldtown.   
When the bustle of the castle began that is when the Prince knocked on my door. I’d already agreed to it before Margaery yelled at me last night. I reasoned it would be rude to refuse after I had already said I would. I tried my best to keep up with the conversation and listen about the castle, but in the back of my mind was Margaery telling me I would be sorry.  
“Are you alright, cousin?” Margaery asked as I had gotten distracted once more.  
“Actually, I have a bit of a headache, I think I might go lay down” I said.  
“I’ll escort you back to your room” Prince Jon tried, but Margaery already had him in her grasp.  
“I can find my way” I said. I couldn’t actually and I did end up getting lost, though I was certain that I was on the right floor at least. I ended up a floor up from where I had started. I heard the swish of pants and I looked down the hall to see Princess Lyarra carrying a bow and practice sword while heading my way. There was also a quiver on her side. She was an amusing one wasn’t she? “Princess” I said with a little nod.  
She looked surprised to see me, “aren’t you supposed to be with my brother?” She asked.  
“I was feeling ill” I said.  
“Right, anything to do with your cousin?” She asked, she put down the sword and quiver, beckoning me to the nearest balcony. They were just making their way out of the garden, Jon looked uncomfortable, Margaery looked tired, if I was being honest. “She’s using too big of words” the Princess said, “you were with him on the road, he doesn’t use big words.” I tried to hide my smile but she was right, Margaery was overdoing it. “Vyserys used to pick on Daenerys, he was quite cruel to her” Lyarra said. “We would do our best but he truly was his father’s son. But when I was old enough to put two and two together I did something about it. My mother said I used to cry if Vyserys and Dany were in the same room”  
“That is a gift to have the natural born ability to read a room” I said.  
“I know it’s hard to always do something with a shadow hanging over you, specifically if you are related to them by blood, so if you need me take care of Margaery. I’d be more then happy to do it” she said.  
“You won’t hurt her or anything?” I asked.  
“No of course not, I’ll just make her too busy to bother” she smiled.  
“How horrible of a person am I if I want to take you up on your offer?” I asked.  
“You’re not horrible at all, to want something for yourself” she picked up her things and left, “join us again for dinner, it’ll be a bit more private then before” she called as she walked down the hall. “You best get back to Jon so he doesn’t have to suffer anymore.” I sighed and followed her down some steps and there we were.  
He seemed happy to see me with Margaery wrapped around his arm. “Oh you came back” Margaery said.  
“Yes, I found her while I was looking for you. Come I have need of you” Lyarra said taking Margaery’s hand and dragging her away. “What great fortune that Lady Nyla knew just where you were.”  
“I’m going to have to thank her now” Jon said, “would you like to continue?” He asked offering me his arm. I nodded taking it, he didn’t mention my leaving or my return. He showed me his favorite parts of the castle the dragon skulls in the throne room and the eggs that they had. They were placed on pedestals held in a dark room beneath the castle. There were around 12, some had never hatched from when they were given to their previous Targaryen predecessors and some were from Essos.   
“Shouldn’t they be out in the sun?” I asked. The room was dank and I could vaguely hear the sounds of dripping water somewhere. I had a hard time understand how anything could thrive in here, even dragon eggs that could not hatch.  
“Father says they are safer here” he said.  
“Everything is safe if you lock it in a room” I said. I often wondered if my father locked himself in the tower because he was frightened of the world outside.  
“I like this one” he said walking over to it. I smiled, it was all black with veins of silver that ran through the cracks of the scaled egg.  
“I wonder what the dragon would have looked like” I wondered aloud.  
“Probably big” he said. I laughed and he smiled. “You should find your favorite” I looked around at each of the eggs, many were black and red, there were at least 3. 2 were yellow, 2 were green, 3 were blue, one was solid black I could not see any other color in it. I found my favorite, it was a deep purple with flecks of gold like it was spattered with paint.   
“This one is different” I said.  
“That’s one of the ones that Dany brought back from her journey to Essos. She keeps her favorite ones in her vault, she’ll have to show it to you sometime” he said.  
“I like it” I said.  
“It’s probably getting late why don’t we go to dinner” he said and I followed him out of the dark room.

I had dinner with the king and queen again this time it seemed that Loras and Margaery hadn’t been invited. The meal was good, the conversation better and at the end the maester came in with several scrolls for everyone, “one for you, Lady Hightower” he said handing me the sealed note. I looked at the seal to see it was from grandmother. I stowed it away and left after dinner to read it, knowing full well that it was not good news. Despite my wonderful day the feeling faded as I read the letter my grandmother had sent to me.


	4. Chapter 4

“Granddaughter, I am deeply disappointed that you have decided to steal margaery’s birthright from her. What a hateful child you must be to go against your own blood and family. If you do not leave by the next full moon, I will strike your name from the Tyrell line” my grandmother had written me. I lit the note on fire with a candle and watched it burn, part of me wanted to just go home. The other part, a part that I hardly paid mind to any longer wanted to stay here in spite of my grandmother, here where I was not just a second daughter.   
Today I was having snacks in the garden with the Queen, she had a bouquet of roses on each of the tables. Margaery was with us and as conversation began she spoke, “I got a letter from grandmother last night, did you happen to get one?” She asked me slyly.  
“Was that the letter from last night?” The Queen asked.  
“Yes, but it wasn’t important” I said. Margaery lifted her eyebrow and I sunk back into my seat. Part of the way through the day Princess daenerys stood up.  
“I have been having the hardest time arranging the new items I got from Essos. Perhaps someone with an expert eye such as yourself could help me out Lady Nyla” she said and I looked up from my hands that I had been staring at for too long. “Would you pardon us for the afternoon?”  
“Oh of course, I think I might take a ride through the king’s wood” the Queen said standing up.  
“I’ll join you Princess” margaery said.  
“I actually think Princess Lyarra wanted you for something” she said showing me the way to the the room where she kept her possessions. The room was large with pedestals and items lining the walls. There were three eggs in a trunk, she said she’d gotten them from a man, there were two Valyrian steel sword on the walls, she said one was supposed to be Dark Sister, Visenya Targaryen’s sword.   
“What’s this one?” I asked pointing to a horn decorated in gems and gold.  
“It’s supposed to be from Valeria, they used to use it to call the dragons to them. They apparently can’t resist it” she said, “I had our best horn blower try to get it to make a sound but he could not.”  
“How strange, perhaps only dragons can hear it” I said.  
“We’d have to get a dragon to test that theory” she said.  
“What is this one?” I asked touching a white animal skull.   
“The only white dragon skull that has ever existed, found in Asshai” she said. The skull was about the size of a cow’s but it was all white like it had been left out in the sun to bleach.  
“You have been everywhere” I said.  
“Hopefully one day. But I haven’t even finished exploring Westeros, I’d like to go to the wall and to Dorne” she admitted to me, “that letter from the other night it did not hold good news, did it?” She asked coming close. Daenerys had been named the light of the kingdoms on her 14th name day by practically everyone. She was said to be beautiful beyond compare and the stories had lived up to the great expectation.  
“No it did not, Princess” I admitted to her, she had shown me her most prized possessions, the least I could do was tell her about the letter.  
“You don’t have to tell me. But I want you to know that you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. This is your life and only you can decide how to live it, your choices should be made by you and not by others” she said.  
“Thank you Princess” I said.  
“Dany, call me Dany” she said.  
“Alright Dany” I told her.  
“I want to show you something else” she said going into another room that was filled with books. “This is where I keep the spell books of all the places where magic once existed” she said. Some of the books were bound in leather and other in something that I could not tell. Many of the books were black perhaps the binding had been dyed. “I’ve scoured all the languages looking for a way to hatch dragons again but I haven’t found it. But some of the spells work, I can do what most maesters cannot. Light a dragon glass flame, did you know there is dragon glass beneath Dragonstone?”  
“I did actually” I said.  
“Oh, many people don’t know how did you gather that information?” She asked.  
“It’s rather complicated” I said.  
“Well do tell” she said, sitting on a cushioned couch, I sat next to her and began my story.  
“When I was a girl I decided I wanted to grow up and be a maester. Of course my mother and father informed me that this just wasn’t done, that I could become a septa if I wanted” I sighed, “I didn’t accept that, so I went looking for a boy who was like me, either an unwanted son or a second son who also had a passion for books. Preferably one that isn’t good with women, who doesn’t know their place in the world. My brother Lucerys found just the boy, Samwell Tarly had no love from his father and in fact he wanted to send him to the wall. I convinced a master that this boy should receive an invitation from the citadel to become one. He’s been loyal ever since” I said, “he brought me scrolls from the citadel for whatever I wanted to read.”  
“Can you contact him now, even here?” She asked.  
“I could write to him and ask him to gather information for me I suppose. I normally don’t leave oldtown, I just prefer to read it myself” I said.  
“That’s a good friend to have, to have any information that the maesters have at your finger tips” she said.  
“What’s that big black sword in the other room?” I asked.  
“That one I found here in Westeros in a vault I had opened. It was the only thing inside on a pedestal. It’s all dragon glass” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.  
“Would you be willing to show me the magic?” I asked.  
“Of course” she said standing up and getting a piece of dragon glass. She set it on a small pedestal, she ran her finger over the sharp edge and blood bloomed from the prick. She smeared it on the dark object and said some words and the dragon glass burst into a red and black flame before quieting down into a red one. I sat astounded “magic requires a personal sacrifice most of the time.”  
“But you’re the blood of the dragon, surely it won’t work on others” I said.  
“It does, come on you try” she mumbled a few words at the flame and it went out. “Prick your finger and rub it on the glass. Then say dracarys” she said.  
“Drocorys?” I asked.  
“Dracarys” we practiced until I had the Valyrian word correct. I did as she instructed and rubbed my blood on the glass, speaking the word and the flame lit up, bright purple before again burning down into a red flame.  
We heard the door open and the shuffle of feet, she stepped out of the dark room and I realized it was night. Missendei was standing there looking a little out of breath, “you are late for dinner” she said.  
“Oh we were telling stories and doing magic, we’ll head to dinner right now” Dany said. She locked her treasures behind the door before we left.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is late because college is hard

The next morning I waited just outside the throne room for a knight. My father had sent Sir Bronn of the Vale and of house Costayne to watch me while I was in the capital, for my safety. My father had sent a raven which had just arrived this morning. He was taking a while to get here, though I had no sense of these things. Missendei had told me of a place that traders went to drink ale when arriving at port, it had a rather more expensive option that she recommended. I had sent a raven to my elder sister this morning asking for her help in this case. She was much more entertaining then I, and much better at it.  
Sir Bronn finally arrived, I had learned some time ago that knights didn’t prefer to be spoken to like a royal. They’d rather you get to the point. “M’lady” he said.  
“Do you feel up for some walking, Sir Bronn?” I asked.  
“I have been instructed to follow you and protect you” he said.  
“Wonderful” I said as we began to descend the stairs of the red keep.  
“Nyla” the prince called and we both looked back as he made his way down the steps. “Where are you going?” He asked.  
“I am going to visit a tavern on the docks” I said.  
“I’ll join you” he said, coming to stand beside me. Bronn smirked and I rolled my eyes at him.  
“I think I can protect Lady Hightower alone” he told Bronn, he did have a sword with him.  
“Aye, you might but Lord Hightower will have my head if anything happens to his daughter” he said. I pulled a pouch of coins out of my pocket and tossed it to him.  
“You’ve had a long ride Sir Bronn, perhaps you’d like the rest of the day to yourself” I said.  
“Well if you insist” he said leaving us behind.  
“Where are we going?” He asked.  
“You can follow me” I said. I had gotten direction from Missendei and she had me repeat them back to her so she knew I wouldn’t get lost. Pass the sept and take a right on the third street, then all the way down to the end. The one with blue flags outside and a balcony. “So how did you know that I was leaving the keep?” I asked.  
“Dany mentioned it this morning at breakfast” he said, “she said she showed you how to do magic yesterday. Pretty amazing isn’t it?”   
“Yes it was, does she know why the colors of the flames are different?” I asked.  
“No, mine was white. What about you?” He asked.  
“Purple” I said.  
“Please miss, do you have any food?” A young girl asked as we were outside the sept, I pulled a bread roll from my pocket and handed it to her with a smile. She returned it and ran away to share with another little boy, perhaps her brother.  
“You keep food in your dress?” He asked.  
“Most of us ladies do. It’s a good hiding spot” I told him.   
“So you keep gold and bread in there, anything else?” He asked.  
“I also have a small knife” I said with a smile.  
“And where did you get a knife?” He asked.  
“I bought one when I left Oldtown” I told him.   
“You’ve had it the whole time? Do you know how to use it?” He asked.  
“Can’t be that difficult, just stick them with the pointy end” I said, he laughed as we kept walking.  
We arrived at the establishment and although it was mostly empty we still got the looks, from the corner of my eye I noticed the gold cloaks who were no doubt to follow us at a distance. I went to the bar and asked for the owner and from there we waited. The men stared as we waited and finally the owner came out, greeted me and I followed him into a different room. Instructing Jon just to stay put a moment.   
I was able to get the price down quite far, but the man was happy. After I told him about the guest I had invited, he was more than happy to house her as well. When I came out Jon was being pulled out of a scuffle with another man. The gold cloaks were descending on the scene. “Jon, this way” I said taking his hand and going out the back and into an alley. We get going until I couldn’t see the gold cloaks anymore.  
“You lost them” he said breathing heavily.  
“Out of breath?” I asked, “already?” I teased.  
“Why did we run?” He asked.  
“To get away from the guards of course” I told him looking out onto the street. I didn’t see anyone so I stepped out and we continued down the road.  
“I hadn’t known my mother was going to send the gold cloaks” he said.  
“I don’t blame them, you are the prince” I told him, I hadn’t said that word in a while.  
“How did you know we could get away?” He asked.  
“When you see an opportunity Jon sometimes you just have to take it” I said, “why were you fighting with that man anyway?” I asked.  
“He said something about you” he said.  
“What’d he say?” I asked as we walked. I wanted to know, I’d pester him about it until he told me.  
“It wasn’t anything that should have been said to anyone like you” he said.  
“How about this, if you catch me you don’t have to tell me” I said.  
“What?” He asked as I dashed off into the crowd, he ran after me, but he didn’t know how to move with a crowd. I didn’t go far enough to be out of sight, but I did give him a chase. I went down an alley way as he called for me, there was an abandoned building that I ducked into and climbed up the steps, I could hear him behind me. I came out on the balcony and he wrapped me in his arms. Catching me. He smiled before stepping close and pressing his lips to mine. Just as I remembered, the same softness, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him. I depend the kiss opening my mouth and allowing him entrance. Pulling him closer by his armor. We finally parted as someone hurried past. We were both left breathing heavy clutching to one another.  
“Out of breath? Already?” He teased me back.  
“The sun is setting, we should get back” I told him. We walked back to the Red Keep, perhaps a little closer together than before.  
“Before we go inside” he said taking my hand he took a deep breath, “I would like to court you, properly. Would you allow me the honor to wear your favor?” He asked. My heart leapt into my throat.  
This was a moment I had no actually thought about, “yes of course” I said not wanting to leave him waiting for too long. What had I just done?


	6. Chapter 6

The queen had been trying to match me to my perfect handmaiden, I was never one to really need a handmaiden, braiding my own hair and putting on my own dresses. But she was a persistent one our queen. Her name was Shae and she wasn’t a handmaiden. She had no proper training or knowledge but she told me the secrets of everything going on in the castle. She had a thick foreign accent, she talked about being a whore in the underground brothels in Oldtown, only for a while before she came here.  
She was great at telling stories but she was also a good listener. I asked for her advice with my grandmother and she had told me that I should do what my heart wanted. To be born so fortunate that I shouldn’t squander it.   
Shae had been telling me this morning about the news of the castle while she braided my hair. The queen’s nieces were coming soon to stay in king’s landing, to keep them safe from the northern war with the wildlings. There had been a raid near Winterfell and her brother, Eddard Stark, had decided to send his girls south. They had been getting everything ready. A sharp knock on my door and to my utter surprise the king was at my door. “Your grace” I said curtsying. What was he doing here?  
“Good morning, the maids say you wake up at first light every morning” he said.  
“I do, the septa’s would not let me have a day’s rest when I was a child” I told him.  
“I would like to speak with you” he said, “walk with me” I followed along behind him recognizing some of the places I had been in the last few weeks. But we were not heading to his study. The day of the full moon would be tomorrow, I hadn’t even seen margaery in the last few days. As I understood it, Lyarra had been coming up with impossible tasks for her to do. Stand there and hold this, fetch me this, she had been running around looking for something that didn’t exist the other day. Apparently no one had the heart to tell her.  
We were headed to a place Jon had shown me and we had frequented as of late. The Godswood, The tree looked so odd here in the capital. Out of place. It was a large white tree with bright red leaves and a face carved into it. It looked young like it might outlive all of us. “It cost a fortune just to get it here, but when Lyanna found that we southerners really had cut down all the weirwoods she found it deeply troubling. First we tried to bring a full grown tree here, then we tried to plant one, finally we found a sapling and brought it down. The face just appeared one day” he noted, rambling. “It was rather difficult actually and a pain, but I did it for Lyanna” he said.  
“I’ve never seen a weirwood, I’ve never seen anything like it” I said.  
“Yes it is one of a kind” he looked up at it for a moment before speaking again, “now for why I brought you here, When I was just the prince, before we won the war I’d go down the streets and sing to the people. They enjoyed it very much, after I became king there was never enough time for singing” he paused, “Jon’s always been very serious, very awful with women. Very awful” he repeated to himself, I had heard vaguely of the disasters of match making with the prince. “But you bring out this different side of him. You could be there to guide him through the things that are more difficult for him. You don’t want anymore power than you already have which is good for the people and the houses. You’re of a noble and rich house” he added. The crown always wanted more money, it was simply a fact.  
“Thank you those are kind words your grace” I said.  
“The family likes you too, Lyanna likes very few people, I’m not sure if you are aware. I wanted to reassure you that no matter what decision you pick, whether you decide to stay or leave. I will make sure no action is taken against you or your family by any of the houses. I must admit I’ve known for a while that there might be some backlash from the Tyrell’s if you and my son were to marry. We hoped by decreeing that no heir shall marry into an alliance they might understand that we won’t hold favorites but” he sighed and he didn’t have to explain the greed of the Tyrell’s. “My best advice is that even though it might seem like a bad idea and it will probably be a bad idea, searching for your happiness is what is most important in life” he said. This was a man who had gone to war to keep his wife and fought battles for her. That side of the war had always seemed romantic, but the reason for the rebellion always seemed like not a good enough reason. Perhaps it was best that Robert had died and had not ruled. He had known nothing about being King. “Sometimes you just need to catch the breeze and fly” he told me.  
“But your grace, towers don’t fly”  
“But dragons do” he said.

I left the Godswood feeling a little bit more sure of myself and with more confidence. I had packed to leave, none of my dresses had been gathered but if I had wanted to I could leave soon. I didn’t want to though, the royal family had been so welcoming and friendly. Perhaps because they just wanted the prince to marry but I felt like as if they wanted us both to be happy. With Daenerys showing me her treasures, Lyarra helping me with margaery. They meant well, I wanted to be a part of this.  
The next morning after breakfast we watched as margaery climbed into the carriage, “well come on cousin we don’t have all day” margaery said as I stood on the steps unmoving.  
“I will not be leaving king’s landing with you margaery” I told her looking directly into her brown eyes.  
“Are you sure this is your decision?” She asked me trying to stare me down.  
“I am certain, have a safe return trip to Highgarden” I told her and she slammed the door and they rode off. Jon had said his mother wanted to go riding in the kingswood with us, we met her at the stables and she was dressed in some riding clothes. Tomorrow they would hold a feast and tourney in honor of some holiday that Dany and Queen Lyanna had come up with.   
Sir Bronn would also come along, he was taking his duty very seriously. I wasn’t sure what my father had told him what he would get for protecting me but perhaps he was just trying to gain favor from one of the richest houses in the 7 kingdoms. We rode through the forest for hours, stopping mid day to eat what the cooks had packed with us. Some cheese, meats and wine. “So, Sir Bronn, how did you come to be here?” The queen asked.  
“Grew up right here in flee bottom, was a sell-sword for a while then decided to go to the vale. Vale’s cold so I left, went to three tower. There were these dumb kids trying to swim across a river, fast waters, the littlest one got sucked under and I saved the idiot. This dip-shit kid was some Lord’s son and he named me a knight right there. Lord Hightower heard how I saved the boy and told me to ride here to protect this one. Though she doesn’t need any protecting” he said, explaining his life story, it sounded very underwhelming.  
“And what has my father promised you?” I asked.  
“He didn’t say, but it’s not a hard job I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t volunteer” he said.  
“She ditched the gold cloaks, just kept running” the queen said.  
“Well she ditched me too, she just didn’t have to run away from me” he said.  
“Where did you learn your skills?” Queen Lyanna asked, “of getting away?”  
“My elder sister Ella” I said.  
“Is that the one in arbor or the other one?” She asked.  
“The other one” I told her.  
“What other one?” Jon asked.  
“Perhaps you should tell him, I’ve only heard rumors” the Queen said. The maids existed only to spread rumors, I was convinced of it.  
“My sister Ella was a bit of a wildcat, she had been getting in trouble since I was born. When she was 14 she stole some gold from my father and booked passage to Bravoos where she is now a very wealthy courtesan over there” I said.  
“My kind of woman, taking her life in her own hands. Shame I can’t meet her” Queen Lyanna said.  
“I’ve actually written to her, she’ll be coming to king’s landing to help with a deal with the iron bank” I said.  
“Will she give me a royal discount?” She asked.  
“For the Queen? I’m sure of it” I told her. We road back later in the evening, Daenerys wanted to see if I had an appropriate dress for the tourney. Jon walked with me back to my room. We had been getting rather close, faster then I had even expected. Shae said that the other maids had heard rumors of marriage mentioned between the king and the prince. How they heard that I wasn’t even sure.  
Daenerys was already in my room and sent Jon away. She had several of my dresses laid out on my bed along with a few that definitely were not mine. There was the purple one from HighGarden and the one decorated with butterflies from Oldtown.  
“What about this one?” She asked pulling me toward a blue dress. Light blue and in the king’s landing style.  
“If I must choose an extravagant dress it would have to be this one, it’s my favorite” I said gesturing to the one with butterflies.  
“Yes I think this will do nicely” she said, “well try it on I want to see it so I can get the full image.” The dress was white and it was rather simple actually, but starting at my waist and going down there were hand embroidered butterflies down to the ground, they were stitched on by hand and each one was different. It had to have been expensive, Ella had bought it for me and had it sent over from Bravoos. I always felt lighter in this gown, like I was floating, my sister really knew how to pick a dress.  
Just before going to sleep I received some letters, one from my mother and the other from my sister. My sister’s letter read, “Dearest sister, I have booked passage to king’s landing to help you with your business endeavor. I hope to see you soon.” Marked with the seal she used as a courtesan in Bravoos, the poetess.  
The other letter was from my mother and I held my breath as I cracked the seal, “Nyla, your grandmother has written to me that you plan to marry the prince and you may no longer call yourself a Tyrell. I’ve written her back that you are a Hightower and you have always been one. Your father and I are very proud.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this is late, but I have a few chapters lined up to go again so we should be good until chapter 11.

The workers were setting up the tents for the tourney before dawn, I heard the noise from nearly half way around the castle. The sounds traveled across the water, I tried to cover my ears and go back to sleep but just as I felt I had, I woke to the first light of dawn and Shae knocking on my door. She had a bath ready for me and I walked with her to it, still rubbing my eyes. There were oils and perfumes mixed in with the water, Shae ran a comb through my wet hair. “Remember to drink plenty of water, it can get hot and I don’t want you to faint” she said wrapping me in my robe as we walked back to my room. She helped me into the butterfly dress and I slipped on a pair of shoes. She began to braid my hair as she wanted. I could tell there were braids coming from either side of my head and ending together unbraided behind. She used a silver ringlet to hold the hair together.   
For the next several days there would be a tourney and then a grand ball. I had no idea how the Queen kept a secret celebration from the Tyrells that they had planned to have just after they left. The Stark girls had arrived not long before and were being washed and put in dresses, I was supposed to keep the elder Stark girl company and show her around the tourney. “She has red hair like you” Shae said. Sansa Stark was five and ten and as far as I could tell excited to be out of the north. Her sister was Lyarra’s charge, Arya was three and ten and wanted to fight boys and according to the maids, had dirt in every crevice.   
Shae was going to accompany us all day, make sure that we were both fine. Since Sansa didn’t have her own personal handmaid then she’d have to share mine. I arrived at Sansa’s chambers, it was looking over a part of the gardens that was covered in different colors of flowers. “Lady Hightower” she said with a curtsy.  
“Lady Stark” I said and she beamed. She was in the lilac dress I had rejected. It looked wonderful on her, it had to be the red hair that made the lilac so intense. “Please call me Nyla” I told her guiding her toward the festivities.   
“I understand you and your siblings have direwolves and your brought them along? Perhaps you’d be willing to let me meet yours?” I asked.  
“Oh yes, Lady is my direwolf she’s very well behaved. But Arya’s Nymeria is less tame, about as wild as she is” she said.  
“Did they tell you where they’d be keeping them?” I asked.  
“We asked to put them in the Kingswood, they shouldn’t be penned up” she said.  
“Well I look forward to it, perhaps we can make a little event out of it” I said, “I heard there was an extra direwolf? What happened to it?”  
“Oh father took it in, he was so excited I think. Secretly” she said, “ghost, the keeper of the castle.”  
We arrived at the events, knights were milling about in their armor and with their horses, the dust was picking up at the jousting portion and we saw everyone walking that way. But we were making a stop at Jon’s tent so I may give him my favor. A handkerchief I had brought with me embroidered with the lighthouse in Oldtown and my house words “we light the way.” I had spent a painstakingly long time getting the details right on it when I had made it.  
“So what do you think of king’s landing?” She asked.  
“It’s a busy city, the ships at the docks are nice to look at and it reminds me of home” I said, the smell was less then pleasing but no one ever talked about a way that a place smelled, unless it was High Garden.  
“Yes Oldtown is even farther south, I’ve always wanted to come to court and see the lady’s in their dresses and the knights in their painted armor” she said, I smiled knowing that court was actually quite boring.  
“Is it everything you hoped it would be?” I asked.  
“Yes” she said.   
We arrived at Jon’s tent and Shae spoke up, “Lady Stark, why don’t we find a place to sit to properly watch. Lady Nyla will join us in a moment” I could have sworn she winked at me at the end of it but Sansa didn’t say anything and they walked toward the benches together. I hoped there would be cushions.  
I felt suddenly nervous, a fluttering in my stomach. I took a deep breath and forced myself forward anyway. He was just about ready with his squire doing up the last of his armor. He smiled at me in the mirror and the fluttering continued, “you can stand outside” he told the squire who nodded and as soon as the boy had left jon wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close, pressing his lips to mine. We broke apart with a smile, breathless. “What’re you doing here?” He asked.  
“I came to give you my favor” I said pulling the handkerchief from my pocket. I tied it around his arm, “keep it safe, I worked really hard on it” I said.  
“I will” he touched my hand with his gloved one. The flap opened again and in came the king with Sir Barristan.  
“I should make sure I get a seat” I said ducking out of the tent. The squire was still standing outside and the poor boy looked incredibly nervous. Shae had found us cushions, thank the 7 gods. There were also shades over the benches.  
First was archery, my brother had sent a knight for each event, I recognized a few of them and they gave me a short nod as they passed. I’d never had much time to watch the knights fight and practice, my father always had me running errands for him. Daenerys came to sit with us and Lyarra joined after a bit with Arya in tow. Lyarra seemed a bit flustered with Arya and I offered to keep the other Stark girl for the rest of the day.   
“Oh no I’ll take them both, you have a busy day ahead of you” Dany said. I wasn’t sure what she meant I in fact had a completely open day ahead of me. I didn’t have much time to think about what she’d said as the next event started up; the winner of the archery competition took his winnings. Next was jousting and after that sword fighting. The event just before the celebration feast, I thought it must be odd to put the prince’s event when the crowd becomes most irritated from hunger. Then there would be more sword fighting in the afternoon and a bit of drinking.  
I hadn’t heard what we were celebrating yet, I turned to ask Dany but we were silenced down as the next round began. The accidents of jousting were always kind horrific and there was always one in each tourney I’d been to. I never understood how anyone could willingly decide to try. Once the body of the fallen knight was cleaned up there was the last event before the celebration. Sword fighting, starting with a few lesser knights the crowd began to shift to impatience before they brought out Jon and his opponent. The knight from the road, I doubted this was an accident. The gray cloth still wrapped tightly around his forearm.   
The two of them lined up and then the swords clanged against each other. The fighting looked awkward, there was just something off about it. With more effort than necessary it seemed, Jon won the sword fight. The crowd cheered and he walked straight for me, hopping the small fence easily, Dany shoved me forward off the bench and he stood in front of me. “Lady Nyla Hightower, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He asked a sheepish smile on his face, this was the reason for the celebration. The crowd oohed and awed at the spectacle and my heart sped up to what seemed like an impossible beat.  
“Of course” I said as the crowd cheered. Jon smiled wide and looked like he had to restrain himself from sweeping me up in a hug. He took my hand and walked with me toward the feast.  
There were tents and a celebration with performers set up and a feast that looked like it was never ending. We sat at the head of the celebration on a long table with us in the center, the King and Queen on one side and the Princesses on the other.   
It was heading toward the afternoon events as Dany had her unsullied bring out a small trunk with gold designs in the wood. “As an early wedding gift we have decided to give you both dragon eggs” she said. The nobles here oohed again as the chest was opened and nestled on some wool blankets were the two dragons eggs we had picked out on that first tour. The dark purple with the gold design across it and the black one with silver. The first time many of the nobles had even seen a dragon egg. “Although you will have to figure out how to hatch it yourself” she said with a wink.  
“Thank you” I told her and turned and nodded at the King who would have had to allow this at all.   
Once the events of the day were over, the tourney completed and the knights dispersed, when they were taking down the tents the maester shuffled up to me and handed me a scroll. The seal was from Hightower. Jon looked over my shoulder as I opened it and unrolled the parchment. It was in my father’s scribbled handwriting: “Dearest Nyla, I hope this letter greets you at the right time. Your mother and I are so proud of you for creating this new alliance with Kingslanding. We did not prepare you for the task at hand and have asked Queen Lyanna to foresee your training. We will head toward Kingslanding for your wedding in 4 months time. Your father, Leyton Hightower.”  
“Your father seems” Jon struggled for the word.  
“Solemn” I offered him.  
“Solemn” he repeated.


	8. Chapter 8

Taking a break from my Queen training was much needed but using the time to pick flower arrangements for my wedding was boring. I needed the time off to wait for my sister as she was arriving today, but Lyanna insisted I needed to always be busy. I had offered to organize something to do with the people but she said we’d get to that later. “These look lovely together and they smell so sweet” Sansa said putting a pink flower and some blue ones together.   
“Maybe with the purple” I said.  
“Yes those are perfect” she said, I heard the thumping of feet on the pavement and resisted the urge to turn around.   
“Lady Nyla, your sister’s boat has docked” the young servant boy I had paid to stand by the docks and come to me if he saw my sister. I thanked him, graciously.   
“Sansa do you think you could pick out the rest of the arrangements, I must go wait for my sister” I said, Sansa beamed she was much more excited about the wedding planning then I was. In a few days I would choose a wedding dress and have it fitted and in 3 weeks time I would be married, the new Queen of Westeros.  
“Of course” she said.   
I thanked her and left to wait at the gates for my sister. Her carriage was extravagant, the wood box was covered in gold with huge black feather plumes sticking off of it and pulled by two black stallion that were the same exact height. The Daughter of Dusk, Ella Hightower, she was abusing that title in every way. She wore a black lace dress with intricate beading of flowers on it, it draped off her form and puddled on the ground. She had two carts of things that she brought along all packed higher than her own carriage.   
My sister Ella was beautiful in all senses of the word, curvy with green eyes and blonde hair. At the age of 12 she had full womanly curves and attracted the attention of most men, she knew it too. Now at 19 she was a world renowned courtesan. A young girl stepped out from the carriage as well, Varys had told me that my sister had taken an apprentice. The girl picked up the back of her skirt and my sister came up the steps to greet me. “My lovely little sister, it is so good to see you” she said.  
“Ella, I’ve missed you” I told her wrapping her in a hug. She smelled sweet, some perfume perhaps.   
“I’ve brought you the most perfect dress to wear for your wedding” she said, “and jewelry to match of course.”  
“Come this way I had you put in the room next to mine” I said.  
“Wonderful, now tell me about this deal you are supposed to be making with the iron bank” she said. I explained to her the best I could as we walked. The deal as I had slowly heard pieces from our father was to create a new alliance with the Hightower’s to allow us to become a member of the Iron Bank and in return we would get a percentage of the returns. But seeing as I would soon become Queen of the seven kingdoms they wanted to make a total alliance via the trade for all of Westeros, I had been talking to Lyanna about it and she had mentioned that we should have something to ask of them in return, but that she didn’t know enough about the iron bank to know what that was. Daenerys had offered to help me think of something a little later today, she’d also get to meet my sister.   
“I can not wait to meet Princess Daenerys, she is well known in Essos for staying with the wealthy and sharing the stories of her adventures, how she got a proposal from a khal lord for her beauty. The dragon eggs, the traveling, I heard you were given a dragon egg, may I see?” She asked.  
“Of course, we’ll get to all of that” I said.  
“I can’t believe you’re going to be the Queen of Westeros, I knew you’d do great things but I was thinking more along the lines of becoming one of the greatest merchants in the world, not taking over Westeros and winning the heart of the prince” she said.  
“You’ve been listening to rumors” I told her.  
“I heard you stole him right from underneath Margaery’s nose” she said.  
“That’s not exactly what happened” I trailed off.  
“Well explain it to me, I must know every detail” she said, and so I did. I started with the travel to Highgarden and how we had met and from there I told of how the Queen found out and had invited me to the capital and from there how the king and Queen had treated me. Of the proposal and the celebration and how the tyrell’s refused to speak with me.   
“Well you must get Margaery to show, I’d love to see the look on her face as you marry the Prince” she said. Margaery and Ella always had a bit of a rivalry, it was a beauty contest between them. I doubted Margaery would attend the wedding, she’d likely rather sit in Highgarden and plot my demise.  
“This is your room” she said, the servants were just behind us with my sister’s luggage and they took it in. Ella spoke to the little girl holding her dress, the girl nodded and went into the room to do something with the servants.  
“What of the girl?” I asked.  
“She is training to be a courtesan, she is actually not mine, mine has nearly completed her training, I left her in charge of my barge. This is the poetess’s girl but she wanted to come to see Kingslanding and learn a bit of diplomacy so for a small fee I let her join” she said.  
“Does she speak any Westerosi?” I asked.  
“A little bit but she’s quiet, I told her she should use that to her advantage, only let her client’s hear her speak. She’s got a lovely little voice” she gushed over the girl. The problem with disliking my sister is that it was quite difficult. Yes words to describe Ella could be conceited; but she was also kind, care free, and fiercely protective over those less fortunate. Something our septa had managed to get to stick with her.  
Queen Lyanna rounded the corner with Daenerys by her side and smiled, “there they are, we can clear this up right now” she said, “I was under the impression that we were going to pick your gown.”  
“Well you see my sister is so good at picking these hand-made dresses, I thought we could match them up and see which one I like better, seeing as the option is available” I said.  
“Besides I was bringing a dress wether she liked it or not” Ella said.  
“Fine, let’s do this now then” the Queen said. Ella got the little girl to fetch the dress and the jewelry and then I was standing in front of the two most gorgeous dresses and jewelry I had ever seen in my life. Sansa and Lyarra scooted in behind to see and Arya was of course in tow. The dress that the Targaryens had made was magnificent, a white dress with 3 black dragons embroidered flying around it, the back had an opening to represent the hightower as the cut was square shaped rather than V shaped. The jewelry was black metal to match the black clasps on the dress for the cloak.  
My sister’s dress was also white with a delicate design embroidered on it, the design reminded me of the marble stones from Oldtown. It had a high collar that was laced together with silk in the front, I’m sure so it would be easy to get out of. The jewelry on the other hand was intense, black dragons jewelry with detailed scales on the necklace and belt, the eyes being pieces of amber, giving the creatures an eerie look about them.   
I only took a moment to decide that I liked things from both dresses but I would rather have the dress from Lyanna and the jewelry my sister I’m sure had custom made. I insisted on keeping them both though, in case I ever needed my sister’s dress for some formal event in the future.   
“Well that settles it then, we’ll do a proper fitting when the seamstress is here” Queen Lyanna said before inviting my sister to dinner and disappearing out of the room.  
“Nyla, didn’t you want to speak with me about something?” Dany asked after Sansa, Lyarra, and Arya had left. Ella was holding the dragon egg, inspecting it.   
“Yes, I wanted to know if you could change anything about Essos what would it be?” I asked.  
“The slave trade, they treat human beings awfully and in completely cruel ways, like they are nothing” she said. I explained to her that I may be able to ask something of the Iron Bank while they are here for the deal. “You should get them to remove their hold on the slave trade, that’s fair if we are going to owe them and ally with them. Westeros runs perfectly fine without slaves” she said.  
“Yes that is true, I will take that into consideration” I said.  
“Bravoos is also a very successful free city as they are well aware” Ella offered placing the purple egg back onto the stand that got the perfect amount of sun in the late afternoon. I had a few candles lit around it, I thought it really made the color come alive. “You should see about getting a coal pit for this” she said.  
“That seems a little impractical” I told her, I’d have to also get someone to tend to it, an extravagance that she would of course take if she had a dragon egg.  
“Well I’ll get you some colored candles at least, maybe some red ones” she said. I gave up trying to convince her I didn’t need more fire.

Dinner was set in the same room as always with 8 seats set and it looked as if they had an extra table added to make it longer. Accommodating all the guests from the Starks to my sister. We had light conversation over our pigeon pies and Dornish wine. “Nyla was telling us about how you used to get in trouble with your parents, what did you get into in Oldtown?”  
“Oh Oldtown, well it’s a holy city as you know the great sept is located there, the rules are quite rigid there as you may have heard about the underground brothels” she said, “well I wasn’t real interested in seeing the whores but I always liked to drink and talk, I was well known in most of them by the time I was 13” she said, “one of the reasons I left was because I found out that my father was going to marry me off to an awful old lord” she said.  
“Prince Trystane is only 3 years older than you” I said, “and you would have been Princess of Dorne.”  
“I’ve been to Dorne, it is all they say” she said and I rolled my eyes, “as I was saying” she continued with her story, laced with over exaggerations how she ran from guards and snuck through the streets, with only enough money to get her to Braavos. How she didn’t have a clue what to do when she got there, lived on the streets for weeks before she came across the black pearl and saw the other little girls at her side, her own daughter. She found her way into the community working under The Poetess, whom we knew apparently. Another runaway from Westeros, a girl I didn’t actually recall but I’m sure I wouldn’t meet her.

My sister was more than happy to help pick fabrics and flowers, to set seating arrangements as well, which left me learning about politics and the nobles that would be arriving for the wedding. I didn’t have as much to learn as the Queen had originally thought but she found out that I hadn’t much cared for history and took it upon herself to teach me all about the many boring facts of Westeros. Father never had a problem with me talking to the traders of Essos for I knew all about Essos, I had found it so fascinating to learn about that I had read nearly every book I could get my hands on.  
Another topic she found I didn’t care for was politics, I hadn’t found a reason to learn about it as a child and I hadn’t been much interested since. Though I admit I hadn’t really imagine myself marrying royalty or being sucked into the politics of court. Luckily my holy nature made the people like me, they saw me as a kind and forgiving young woman, so I had no problem with them. On the other hand many of the nobles seemed to know very little about me other than I had grown up with one of the most wealthiest families and I had managed to steal the prince from Margaery. She said some favored me for this but others saw this as a quick rise and as such I was seen as a threat. I knew that the Highgardens and their houses were no longer fond of me. This was to be a way to show the nobles what I was like and Queen Lyanna was going to make sure they saw a smart, beautiful young woman. I would be more than just gossip and more than my father’s name.

The guests began to arrive the week before the wedding, nobles from across Westeros, first was Tyrion Lannister from Casterly Rock. The imp who was gifted his lands out of spite for the rebellion his family tried to end, or so the story goes.  
Oberyn from Dorne, his brother hardly left the gardens after his accident and after the death of his sister. Oberyn had been hunting down the rest of the Lannisters in Essos, he hadn’t managed to kill any of them but whatever army they thought they had and resources they thought they might come back for they were cut off from.   
My father had invited all of our vassel houses and all but my elder brother and sister would be in attendance. My parents were the last to arrive, sending my siblings along ahead of them as my father finished up nitpicking over what must be done with his finances while he was away. Instead of greeting them all one by one, we had a celebration where they would all come to greet me. A small celebration of our engagement. I was part of the way through the houses when something caught my eye and I turned to see my grandmother standing there with a smile on her lips. She came up to us next curtsied and kissed my hand.  
“I’ve had much time to think about your decision, and instead of dwelling on the past I’ve decided to accept this new truth. Margaery, Loris and Garlan will be along tomorrow” she said.  
“We will be pleased to provide them with some seats at the wedding celebration” I said, I could imagine the fit Ella was going to throw when she found out there were 3 more people to place. She’d make it their mistake I’m sure.   
My siblings came to us one by one, Jon greeted each of my many siblings and met with my father. “Baelor is running the castle with Rhonda, but he sends his best” my father said, my eldest brother must have been ecstatic to run the castle on his own. My father is older than most expect he is nearly 59 with children that span between the ages of 39 to 13. I do not know many of my elder half siblings and have spoken few words to the oldest of them. My nearest sibling born by our mother is 27 and 10 years my senior, Baelor is the heir to Oldtown, as per the terms of my mother and father’s marriage. Not that my elder half brothers minded as most of them were gifted their own lands or married into other families to rule their castles.   
“These are my siblings, Malora, Leyla, Gunther and Humphrey” I said, naming them by age. Malora was my eldest sibling attending and my father’s favorite daughter. She has wild dark brown hair and a sharp face with gaunt cheeks. She looks thin and frail as if she hasn’t eaten or slept in days but I assure you this is how she has always looked. Her eyes are dark almost black that gives her the name the Mad Maid. She has not wed and has told our mother repeatedly that she shall never wed.  
Leyla is 23 and is married to Jon Cupps who is our closest vassel house and a most important ally as they control most of the farmlands in the Reach. He could not attend the wedding as there was some business to be done at their keep. She is oval faced with chestnut brown hair, pale skinned with a curved mouth and few freckles, she’s slim like the rest of the women in my family and very intelligent.   
My two youngest siblings are Gunther and Humphrey, they are 16 and 13 respectively. Gunther and I were always quite close always getting into trouble together as we were so close in age. He greeted me with a bow before coming close for a tight hug, he had grown taller since I had last seen him so many months ago. He has reddish brown hair and our mother’s smoldering blue eyes, he is lean and tall and has already started to attract the eyes of women. He has an upturned eyebrow that always makes it look like he is plotting something.   
Humphrey is small and slender, not quite grown into himself, his legs seem too long and he never seems to know what to do with his arms. He looks the most like our father with little to nothing of our mother in him. Our father says that he is the spitting image of himself as a boy.  
“Well let the celebration begin” King Rhaegar said as everyone had been greeted.


	9. Chapter 9

The following week was the ceremony, it was held in the great sept of Baelor with 100’s of nobles seated inside and thousands of people outside. We’d announced the day to be a holiday and insisted on the leftovers of the feast to be given to the poor. My father walked me down the isle through the rows of nobles. I kept my eyes forward not wanting to catch someone’s eye and trip. I could feel all eyes on me. My hair had been done up in braids and curls and my dress looked wonderful. It was completely silent except for the choir as I made my way up the steps toward the high septon. “You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection” the high septon said to Jon who lifted the cloak from the stand and placed it around my shoulders. “Let it be known that Nyla of house Hightower and Jon of house Targaryen are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would wish to tear them asunder.” The high septon spoke the words. I turned to Jon and he smiled, luckily I didn’t have to say anything in the ceremony.  
“With this kiss I pledge my love” Jon said cupping my face and pressing his lips to mine. The nobles clapped and the bell rang to tell those outside that we had been married. The carriages brought us back to the Red Keep where we held the celebration. One long table held the king and queen and my parents, we were sat in the center, the nobles slowly approached to give us their blessing and ask for their favor.   
“Prince Oberyn” Jon greeted as he approached with his gift. It looked like a sword and he had a basket of oranges as well.  
“Prince Jon, you have picked a fine bride. Lady Nyla is well known with the sailors, she was able to help me secure a fleet of ships to hunt down the Lannisters” he said, “I found this when we invaded one of their hide outs, I’ve had it changed to fit the occasion.” He placed the Valyrian steel sword on the table it had gold dragons wrapping around the hilt, with the wings out to protect the hands. “Not very practical but it is Valyrian steel” he said.  
“Thank you” Jon said lifting up the sword to inspect it. He had his own sword but one could not deny another one. As a steward took the basket to place it with the others I grabbed an orange.  
“Thank you prince Oberyn, how is Ellaria?” I asked.  
“She is wondering about, I think someone caught her eye” he said.  
“Well give her our best” I said.  
“I will” he said. We were given a few minutes to eat between each guest. Lyarra came and grabbed some plates of food piled high and brought them by. She looked wonderful in her dress with her hair done in a twist. She picked up the sword and inspected it as Jon had.   
“Heads up the Tyrell’s are next” she said and we snuck a peak at Margaery who was fixing her hair. Loris looked bored, and Garlan was stuffing his face. “Your sister put them next to her, I heard them arguing about it earlier” she said.  
“Oh fun” I said and Jon laughed, putting his hand on mine and pressing a kiss to my cheek. They had given us a chest of gold for the wedding which I’m sure would be spent to pay for the damn thing. While we hadn’t had anything too extravagant, the king did insist on a handful of singers and entertainers, plus we had to pay for the food and help to clean up after.   
“Cousin, it is good to see you in such good health” Garlan said, clearly appointed to speak by his sister who still had a steel gaze on us. “We all hope you have a long and happy marriage” he was being sincere even though Margaery would have had a hard time forcing the words out.  
“Is that Valyrian steel?” Loris asked as the sword was propped behind us where Lyarra had left it.  
“Yes, Oberyn gave it as a gift” Jon said, “would you like to hold it?”   
“If it’s not too much to ask” Loris said. I could still feel Margaery’s cold glare on me as I tried to avoid her gaze.  
“Not very practical but it’s perfectly weighted and then you can always enhance it. The gold is just too soft and impractical” Garlan said and the boys talked about swords for several minutes.  
“How was the ride up cousin?” I asked trying to make small talk but Margaery turned and left.  
“Don’t take it personally, she’s just upset she didn’t get her way. She’ll get over it” Loris said. Once the boys were done talking about swords and Garlan had eaten two more pies.   
We had a bit of time to talk with Olenna who shooed away her grandchildren and told Garlan to stop eating. She pretended as if our relationship was perfect and she had not tried to excommunicate me from the family.   
Next up was Lord Tyrion Lannister whom I had spoken very little to in my life, but he had managed to move from the gold trade and started trading with merchants and making whore houses, where he now had a significant amount of wealth.   
In an effort to snub Tyrion Lannister Rhaegar gave all of his lands to the son he hated the most when he had betrayed the mad king. “It was a wonderful wedding, I hope you two will be happy” he said, his words a little slurred, “I’m giving you several barrels of wine and for the Lady” he placed a small golden hair ornament on the table. It was decorated with intricate gems and had a dragon wrapped around the Whitespire tower. “The last of the Lannister gold” he said. There had been a rumor that the Lannister mines were now out of gold, but it hadn’t seemed like a problem for the dwarf as he had his hands in other wells.  
“Thank you it is beautiful, what sort of wine?” I asked.  
“2 arbor barrels and a white Dornish wine” he said.  
“I’ve never had a white wine” Jon said.  
“Well that must be remedied” Tyrion said having someone bring over a glass for both of us. I smelled it and then took a taste, it was strong and dry as I had remembered. Jon did not like it, Tyrion decided that such good wine shouldn’t go to waste and took it with him when he left.  
Near the end of the celebration Jon and I were ushered back to our now single chamber and left, we heard the door lock us in. The room was neither his nor mine and was decorated in Targaryen colors. Jon pressed in for a kiss, but I knew the secret to these rooms as I had spied on others who had gotten married, they wanted to watch to make sure the marriage was consummated. I kissed him back feeling a little uncomfortable not knowing where someone was watching me but in the moment I forgot about anyone else but Jon and I.  
His fingers on my skin and our bodies connecting like nothing I had ever felt, I couldn’t remember my cousins or the weight that had now been placed on me. We could not get out of our clothes fast enough, his lips were on mine as he struggled with the little buttons, finally just pulling it off in one go. I squeaked as the lovely design was ruined but he was just as quick as to take of his clothes. His hands roamed my body, cupping my breasts and backing us up so that we ran into the bed. He had such smooth skin and without a single scar, his black hair fell into his eyes as he looked at me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he guided himself into me. I felt a bit of discomfort but it wasn’t anything serious, I had done a fair amount of horseback riding in my life. He kissed at my neck and whispered sweet things. I wouldn’t for the life of me be able to remember his exact words though. He finished after a few minutes as my sister informed me he would.   
Instead of stopping there though and going straight to sleep we spoke for a while. “If you’re interested I would like to try something that I think you might quite like. But only if you’re comfortable” he said.  
“Alright” I said, my sisters rumor about men pleasuring women flit through my head. “Another night though” I added.  
“I want us to be truthful with one another in this marriage, we should make decisions together, go over what we did at the end of the day or something” he said.  
“Alright I think I can pencil you in” I said.  
“How is queen training going?” He asked.  
“Not bad, I’ve learned all the squabbles and the latest news, your mother did not expect me to be so good with arguing with nobles” I admitted.  
“Well good, I’ll make that you’re royal duty” he said. We drifted off into a dreamless sleep, I had never felt so happy in my life.  
I woke to the dropping of plates as a servant girl attempted to quietly clean up the room and try to catch if we had consummated the marriage. My steady gaze scared her out of the room with a silent click of the door. Queen Lyanna spoke loudly enough to rouse Jon and I tried to role back over, “well what is the verdict?”  
“I can’t confirm, Lady Nyla Hi-Targaryen” she stumbled over the words, “she told me to leave” she stomped a moment as I’m sure the queen stared the poor girl down, “she was giving me much the same gaze as you are right now your majesty.”  
“Brave servant girl” I admitted aloud.  
“Truly so, shall we get up for the day, my Queen?” He asked.  
“That hasn’t been announced at all” I said.  
“It’s just a matter of time, my father will ride this marriage wave and then make me King when it begins to dwindle, the people love it” he said.  
“What about the North?” I asked. There had been rumors about theNorth being it’s own separate country after the war even though both the King and Lord Stark denied it. Looking at the way the North was run you would think it was a completely different country.  
“We have a deal with the North, the North does whatever it wants to and we support it, and in return they don’t start a war” he said.  
“That seems a bit like gambling, whoever is warden of the North has the ability to do anything. Your mother said there is a house in the North that used to flay people” I said.  
“Yes the Boltons, she used to tell me stories about them as a child” he said, “but my father met with Ned stark and said he was a good man and my mother has never said anything bad about him.”


	10. Chapter 10

I had been ill every morning for the past 4 days, our last maester Pycell had finally passed and our new one wouldn’t be here until tomorrow. Typically it would clear up with in a few hours only lasting first thing in the morning or right after breakfast. I had been secluded to my chambers where my sister was watching me like a hawk.   
“Are these brighter?” She asked looking at the two dragon eggs. Jon had placed his egg next to mine shortly after we had gotten married.  
“I don’t know, I feel much better now. I have duties to do” I said.  
“I swear these things are less dull” she knelt down next to them. I hadn’t really looked at the dragon eggs since I noticed that Jon put his next to mine. I’d assumed it was dusty and he’d been keeping it somewhere else, I hadn’t seen it in the room, but mine had been brighter. The purple that had looked nearly black when it was on a pedestal and now it was a dark amethyst color. The gold seemed to sparkle just from the sun coming in through the window. Ella pressed her fingers to the stone and she jumped back.   
I stood up, “what is it?”  
“It’s was kind of hot” she said. They had always said that the secret of dragons was with the Targaryens. What if it was in their house words? Fire and blood.   
“I’ve got to go see Daenerys” I said.  
“What why?” She asked putting her finger in her mouth. I didn’t give her an answer as I quickly slipped into my dress and was out the door. I found Daenerys in her map room. She had maps of all the known places. She was planning something I’m sure. “Oh, Nyla how are you? I heard you weren’t feeling well again this morning.”  
“I’m feeling much better” I said, “I was thinking about the dragon eggs, I don’t know if Jon told you but I’ve kept mine surrounded by candles since you gave it to me. What if the secret to dragons are in the Targaryen name?” I asked.  
“I’m not sure what you’re trying to tell me” she admitted. My words had failed me and I took a moment to gather myself.  
“I think the secret to dragons is within the Targaryen house words, Fire and blood. Today while laying in bed my sister pointed out the egg you gave me was brighter in color. She touched it and she said it was quite warm” I said.  
“well I suppose so. We can compare eggs” she went into her vault and removed an egg from a pedestal and brought it out into the light. It looked rather dull compared to my egg. We made it all the way back to the room and she sat them next to each other. It was like a perfect gradient. Her egg would be first as if it was just an egg shaped rock, Jon’s was more colorful than it had been despite being only black and silver. Her egg was no where near as brilliant as mine as it shimmered in the sunlight.  
She picked it up despite our protests and only said it felt a little warm but not burning, the blister on my sister’s finger seemed to be a contradiction to this. She agreed that I was onto something and said she would set up a sort of experiment.   
“You two should do it on the day you are to speak with the Iron Bank” Ella spoke up. She had actually been so quiet we had forgotten about her. It was a remarkably short amount of time but working together I thought we could manage to get something together.  
That evening our newest maester finally arrived as the old one had passed. Maester pycell had been quite ancient and apparently an old pervert according to the rumors. Perhaps I had been lucky I hadn’t seen him. This man was a little younger maybe in his late 50’s. I sat on our bed in our room as he felt my forehead and asked me describe my symptoms. Jon was standing not far away watching the maester intently.  
“Well I think I know what the problem is” he said, “it’s not contagious. My dear you’re pregnant.”  
“What” Jon and I asked at the same time. So quickly? Jon hadn’t even been named King yet.  
“Yes, without a doubt we will be expecting a new little prince soon” he said, “congratulations.”  
Within a few days because of the rush Rhaegar stepped down from the thrown and named Jon the heir and he was crowned in a rather hasty fashion. I moved from a Queen-to-be to a full Queen and I felt as if the world had just been placed on my shoulders. The Iron Bank would be here in a month, I now had so many more things to think about and I felt a bit overwhelmed. Lyanna thankfully admitted that she would still help me at least until the baby was born. She was glad she never actually had to rule while she was pregnant and she wasn’t going to let that happen to me.


	11. Chapter 11

Dany had overdone it, I had no idea where she had found someone to make wooden pedestals for each of the four eggs. The bonfire area was set near where the old dragon dens used to be; now a crumbled mess. She had set up tents and had a few masons do their best to repair the stone seats around the pit. The Iron Bank would be here soon and I just thought that I would check on how everything was going. According to Varys the people were happy about the easy pass between kings and were excited for the new babe on the way. There seemed to be no problem with the people, in the castle it was a mess. I was not enjoying my trips to the chambers in the morning to vomit and I often found the maids trying to air out the room. But Jon was nothing but supportive waking up to hold my hair back and always being there for me in the evening.   
We discussed our plans for Westeros and what we were willing to stand firm on for the Iron Bank and what we thought wasn’t very important. The slave trade was a must for the Iron Bank to think that Westeros was doing well was to acknowledge us as a people and that we could live without slaves and instead pay our workers. Secondly we wanted them to stop funding all the countries who promoted slave trade, we hoped that this would bring a great change to the world.  
We met them in the throne room and they bowed to Jon before we were aloud to discuss the matters privately. The 2 men appeared to be father and son because of how much the younger one resembled the other. “I am Tycho Nestor is and this is my son Zachar” he said.  
“It is a pleasure to meet you, shall we get to business then?” I asked. “These are my father’s explicit wishes for an agreement, and here are the Westerosi laws that overlap” I said, laying out the two scrolls.  
“We will need a moment to look at these” he said and his son took a scroll to go over it.  
“Very well” I said. They read through every line, I got bored of watching it and watched as a small feast was slowly carried out toward the dragon pit.   
A bit of time passed before they spoke, “we have a few concerns but we would like to make our decision after the show that you have planned. You boast of your power that we will see here and we’d like to know exactly what that is” he said.  
“Well I wouldn’t call it a show of power” I said, “more of a show of amazement that we hope will fill you with hope” I explained to them. “But if you’re ready I’m sure the preparations are complete.” I walked with them down to the dragon pit. We talked about the economy and their concerns with Essos. The Dothraki were demanding more for tribute each year and they were looking for a way to control them.  
Daenerys was already there and waiting and pulled me aside leaving the two to speak with Rhaegar. “We need some blood for the egg” she said handing me a small knife. I drew across my upper forearm so I could hide the wound while it healed. I dripped a bit of blood onto the dragon eggs. The red liquid sinking into the scales and crevices.  
“What if my blood doesn’t work, I am not a descendant from Valyria” I said.  
“The Valyrians were normal people once too” she said, “if it doesn’t work Lyarra offered to hatch it for you.”  
“Alright” I said as she had one of the men place it on the wooden pedestal.  
“Go sit” she said after the maester had bandaged the wound that I had covered with my sleeve.  
“Everything well your grace?” Tycho asked.  
“Yes everything should go as planned” I said. The bonfire was lit and the eggs were engulfed in flames. We weren’t sure how long it would take for them to hatch and that’s why we had the refreshments. Nearly 2 hours in we began to hear loud popping sounds as one of the egg shells exploded. There was a small screech and a very large bat swooped out of the flames and right into my lap. The little purple dragons screeched again. It was covered in soot and blackened the red dress I was in.  
“My gods” Zachar said, reaching out a hand to touch the little creature. Her gold dusting was hardly as visible as it was on the egg, but maybe like the egg it would appear with time. Dany came to see the little creature as another egg began to pop, this one was lyarra’s, she had a special coal pit made for it a few weeks ago.  
Once all the dragons were hatched and caged we talked with the Iron Bank representatives. “We cannot agree to the terms as is. As you may know the slave market is very strong in Essos and to pull out of all of them would have massive impact on the whole continent. Seeing this wonderful show and the outcome though, we think we can come to a profitable arrangement for both of us” Tycho stated. I already didn’t like where these negotiations had gone. “We understand princess Danaerys had a large selection of dragon eggs. Seeing the success here we are willing to speak with our colleagues and talk about pulling out of the slave trade if we can pick our own dragon” he said.  
“Absolutely not” I shut them down as soon as he had stopped speaking. In the hands of this man a dragon could very well be a weapon.  
“You show us this great power of yours and then you deny us?” He asked.  
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you, we are not going to give a dragon to one of the most corrupt institutions in Essos. If you do not take our deal as is then I will have to assume that you don’t actually wish to do business with Westeros” I said.  
“Well seeing as the King is here perhaps he would like to rethink our offer” he said. Though the look that everyone was giving Jon told him to say no.  
“Queen Nyla is much more versed in these matters than I. What she says goes” he said.  
“Well this is disappointing, perhaps we should look into investing in another party” Tycho said.  
“I hope you WILL tell those what you’ve seen here today. Something that hasn’t been seen in over a century” I said, “I do hope you will think about the future and not make your decision on what you feel right now.” With that he turned up his nose and left, his son was a little less eager to leave as he glanced at the 4 cages.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler chapter

After 3 years the country was still at peace, Westeros had not been burned to the ground by dragons. The dragons are now very large, Lyarra’s and mine, the smallest two, are still 20 lengths long and have massive wingspans. We’ve had to pay people for a lot of burnt cattle but we could afford it. Many people were coming to Westeros to try to catch a glimpse of the dragons and thus our economy had increased greatly in Kingslanding. While some could see Dany’s dragon as she made her way across Essos, and Jon’s was never really seen by anyone. Perhaps occasionally it comes back to fight with it’s siblings but not very often.   
We have two children Aemon and Ellia. Aemon is now 3 and he is the spitting image of Jon, I don’t think there’s even any Hightower in him. He has all black hair and pale features with purple eyes giving him a mystical look to him I think, though I’ve heard the maids saying his stare is a bit unsettling. Ellia is our second born with a bit more of me in her with reddish brown hair and pale skin with the same purple eyes as the Targaryens, she is only a year old. But she does have a pair of lungs on her. I’ve found that she likes singing and I’ve had lullabies taught to me so that I may calm her when I can.   
The Stark girls had long sense gone back home the conflict with the wildlings ending. There mother, Catelyn stark, had worried about them since one of her sons had gone missing in the night. He was simply gone. Ned stark met with Jeor Mormont the lord commander of the Night’s Watch and the King beyond the wall as the wildling man had named himself. No one is quite sure what words were exchanged in the meeting but whatever it was convinced the Night’s Watch to give the gift to the wildlings and let them into our side of the wall. Unfortunately we just had to tell the rest of the country that a peaceful ending had taken place thankfully and that we had agreed to this outcome.   
Daenerys has been in Essos with her dragon, her reason for going was to find new dragon eggs. But from what we’ve heard she’s managed to accidentally attack 3 cities for varying reasons. In Astapor she freed the slave soldiers that were there and took them as an army for herself. In Quarth she went to open their unbreakable safe and when she found it was empty she burnt it to the ground, lastly in Yunkai she threatened to do something and they freed every single slave they had. She has garnered herself the title of Mother of Dragons and breaker of chains.  
Rhaegar I’m sure has been enjoying his leisure time as Jon has taken over all the duties for the King and has to explain why his sister is flying around Essos setting things on fire. He has decided to play dumb, I believe.   
I have been busy raising Ellia and Aemon, not to mention Daria insists on staying on the grounds. She has taken over Aegon’s nest in the dragon pits and made one of her own. It’s littered with burnt carcasses of animals she has picked up.  
Lyarra is as beautiful as her mother and now attracts the attention of many of my knights at the castle along with several marriage proposals. She refuses to even look at them, though she had adopted wearing a skirt with a bit of armor woven into it. She and Lyanna spend much of their time together horseback riding through the kingswood and sneaking out of the Red Keep.  
There have been whispers of the Lannisters in the east and that they have been in contact with what is left of the Baratheons army. That they had been asking some of their old houses for help to rally their men against us. They wanted to kill our dragons and end the Targaryen line. Varys said it was not gaining much traction with the majority of the houses and was quick to point out the ones who had seemed willing to lend a sympathetic ear. Adding to the Lannister problem, some time back Tywin had married his daughter to Renly Baratheon and bore him several children. Varys admitted that he had never seen the children but had heard rumors circulating that not a single one resembled a Baratheon. No one would admit it of course and they weren’t willing to point it out.


	13. Chapter 13

The dragons were a learning experience, they each had their own cage which they all used sparingly to sleep in and even then Jon’s preferred lay out on the window sill. We took a few days to name them, perhaps something we should have thought of before we decided to hatch them. Nearly everyone had an idea for a name and the people were waiting for us to announce the news. To confirm the rumors.  
Blackfyre, blaze, Draco maids would tell me their ideas they thought I should name it, everyone had a solution. I decided on Daria the Valyrian word for queen as the egg had been so noble that certainly that was the best name. That was my story and I was sticking to it.   
My sister loved it, she would be leaving soon and I would miss having her around especially as we began to notice that I needed bigger dresses made. My mother had sent me a list of things to eat to have a beautiful child and to keep myself well. I asked our new maester about it and he threw out most of the ideas except for some of the teas and herb mixes as they were supposed to help with other symptoms. My little dragon Daria would not leave my side and had clawed up a few of my nicer dresses, Lyarra and I had special leather arm guards made so that they would not cause us harm, our dragons were about the same size. Jon and Daenerys did not require such things as they often had no idea where their dragons were.  
Danaerys decided to name her black and red one Drogon after the khal that had offered to marry her, she said that he was the strongest man she’d met and so it was fitting to give it to a deadly animal. No one disagreed with her and the little beast wasn’t pleasant enough to be around anyway for them to argue. It was by far the biggest one and it had it’s flame faster then all of the rest if only by a few days.  
Jon decided to name his Aegon as he would bring about a new age for dragons as Aegon had brought for us at the beginning. The dragon was of course the silver and black one that we had been given for our wedding. I would see it sometimes picking fights with cats and occasionally the gardener. It had made itself a little nest near the dragon pit and no one would go near it in fear of being attacked. It was the second biggest dragon.  
Lyarra named hers Morghon which just meant death in high Valyrian. I hadn’t seen her dragon egg before she hatched it, Daenerys of course wasn’t going to leave her out of this. According to Lyarra the egg had been one of the dragon eggs in the dungeon, black like coal. It resembled a bat and could be lost in the night sky. Lyanna admitted that Dany had offered eggs to both her and Rhaegar but they were done with raising children and decided 4 was more than enough dragons. Lyarra’s was also attached to her side, though I think it’s because she normally just wondered about the castle and did whatever she wanted. She reminded me a bit of Ella in that way though I don’t believe Ella went to sword fight when she would disappear.  
I had settled into my duties as a queen and Lyanna had stepped back letting me deal with most problems that arose. I now had to speak with the master of whispers, I found that Varys was not as strange as so many made him out to be. He simply was just strange and once you accepted that he wasn’t so bad. Though if I had a moral question I wasn’t sure I would go to him first for the answer. He brought me some strange news, one of the inn owner’s wives was trying to get a hold of me and had sent word secretly to the capital. Their daughter had been married to a man she did not approve of. They had needed the money to keep the inn running and he had offered a lot for their marriage. But now she regretted the decision. She asked me to meet the man and calm her fears. Though by what Varys told me she hoped I’d be able to do something about it.  
“They can’t refuse a personal invite from the queen” I said, “I’ll go write something now I suppose.” I didn’t have anything until dinner, I wasn’t sure how long my meeting with Varys was going to last.  
“And this is good for morale of the people” he said.  
“Isn’t my pregnancy enough?” I asked.  
“This is the way the people expect the Targaryens to be. You seem to fit in without even trying” he said.  
“I don’t feel like that’s a good thing” I said before standing up and leaving. If I thought about what Varys said too much I would end up getting a headache.   
I wrote a letter to Lyra and then thinking again of what Varys told me I rewrote the letter to her husband, that I would like to congratulate them both and I would love them to be my guests at court. I sealed the letter and had it sent off. I’d have to make a few arrangements when I heard back from them. 

We tried to feed the dragons raw meat as we expected them to like, but not one would touch it. It wasn’t until we were eating dinner one night when Daria and Morghon jumped onto the table knocking over several things and scaring the servant, they bit off little chunks off the boar in the center of the table. Cooked meat, they ate cooked meat, it seemed so obvious now that we looked back on it. Rhaegar would have preferred if we had found it out sooner of course.  
I heard back from lyra’s husband, he was quick to accept and promised to arrive within the fortnight. I arranged for the servants to clear a room for them and make sure it had fresh sheets on the bed. We were having dinner together as usual the week before, “so the girl will be here for your nameday celebration?” Rhaegar asked.  
“What?” I asked.  
“Isn’t it soon, in just over a week” Dany said. I had been so caught up with one thing after another I had forgotten my own nameday.   
“I suppose it is” I said.  
“Well not to worry I’ve planned something” Ella said, “nothing too extravagant but enough so.”

Lyra and her husband arrived to Kingslanding a day later and I greeted them before they would be escorted to their room. He was not as terrible looking as I imagined, I’d heard very little and had imagined a fat gross older man with a keen liking to little girls. He was well worn with strong hands and broad shoulders as if he’d done hard labor his whole life. He had brown eyes and a well trimmed beard, perhaps thirty in age. He spoke properly as if he’d had an education. His eyes flicked to Daria who was lazily hanging around my neck where she often found herself.   
Lyra seemed tired, her skin was pale and her eyes downcast. Nothing like the lively young girl I had seen when I traveled to highgarden. Her dress was of fine silks but made of long sleeves that must have been uncomfortable in the climate.   
We talked for a bit, he spoke of his business and how he’d built it himself. I let him speak as most men loved to talk about their successes. All the time watching Lyra as she seemed particularly interested in the ground. Before we parted ways for them to settle into their room I invited them both to my name day celebration and to dinner that evening.  
“It is a pleasure to be invited to your name day celebration you’re grace” he said reaching for my hand. Daria lept off my neck and screeched before I could give him it. He had just enough time to snatch his hand back before the little dragon could snap her jaws around his finger. I grappled with her and she wrapped herself back around my neck screeching in my ear and hiding in my hair.  
“Pardon Daria, dragons have been a new experience for everyone” I apologized.  
“No offense taken, your grace, I’m sure the little thing is quite protective of its mother” he said. I nodded, but what he had said couldn’t have been further from the truth. Daria loved people she was the most social of the dragons if she was not with me she would be with Rhaegar or lyanna, waiting for attention and to be fed. Sometimes even she would follow Shae around as she did what she wanted with her day. Only for the briefest moment did Lyra look up to look into my eyes as she walked behind her husband, Drevyn.   
At dinner once Rhaegar was done talking about an old story of his youth drevyn picked up the conversation. He talked about his first two wives and how they had both been noble in their own right, one a 3rd daughter from a house in the vale and the second a 4th daughter from house redwyne, both girls I hadn’t known. Lyra would be his 3rd wife in the last decade.  
“If I may ask what became of your late wives?” Lyanna asked.  
“Unfortunately my first wife was prone to melancholy she pitched herself from a balcony after she gave birth to a stillborn son. My second wife died from her injuries when she fell off her horse” he said.   
The next day I invited Lyra to my chambers to pick a proper dress for the climate and my name day celebration. The guards let in both drevyn and Lyra into the room to my surprise. I had a few dresses laid out, some had half sleeves and others were completely sleeveless.  
“I did not know you’d attend, I thought Lyra would enjoy picking through some of my old dresses” I said. I was already showing and I thought it a waste to just throw them out.  
“I am very conservative I hope you understand. I just want my wife to be covered appropriately” he said.  
“Of course, growing up in oldtown has instilled that belief in me as well” I said though I thought it strange that he would come along none the less. He picked one with half sleeves that was a wonderful blue.  
“I will help you into the dress” Shae said guiding Lyra behind the screen and helping her out of her dress.  
“Do they sleep in their cages?” Drevyn asked me looking at the wooden things.  
“Aegon doesn’t, but daria still does sometimes” I said.  
“They’re getting big you should think about chaining them up” he said.  
“They chained dragons because they could not control them back a hundred years ago and the dragons all died. I don’t think we will be making that same mistake again” I said curtly.  
“Where is your dragon today?” He asked.  
“I believe she is with lyanna today” I said though admittedly I wasn’t sure.  
Shae and Lyra came back out from behind the screen, the strings were finally done up in the back of the dress and Lyra looked wonderful in the blue. She had a small smile on her face as she touched the dress and the sleeves. “Like a queen” drevyn said. I looked at Shae and her face was serious her mouth pressed into a frown, she met my gaze before glancing to drevyn. She had seen something.  
“Well you must keep it. I will see you both tomorrow for the celebration. I’m afraid I’m a little busy today” I said and they both left.  
When they left Shae spoke, “he is not treating her right, her body is covered in bruises, she had bite marks on her shoulders, her back and her breasts. She had several cuts on her legs and bruises on her thighs in the shape of hands. You must do something.”  
“I cannot do anything until she comes to me herself. But I will do my best to protect her” I told her.  
During the celebration I pulled Lyra to the side after watching her fuss with her hair. I had offered to give her something to hold it back. Pulling her into an empty room I sat her in front of the mirror and pulled back her hair. I could see some yellowed bruises around her neck still and I sighed, “Lyra you know I’m the queen now and you mustn’t lie to me” I said.  
I saw a brief amount of panic in her eyes, “o-of course” she stammered.  
“My lady Shae said she thinks your husband is mistreating you. Has he been?” I asked. She stuttered, her words failing her. I knelt down beside her and took her hands in mine, keeping my eyes on hers even though she averted her gaze. I squeezed her hands, “you must tell me or I cannot help, Lyra” tears welled in her eyes and she looked so young then. She pushed herself into my arms and I held her as she cried, cooing to her softly. She told me all of the horrible things her husband had done to her of how scared she was and how much she just wanted to go home. I sat there and held her all the while and listened.  
“But what can you do? He will not let me go” she said.  
“You forget, sweet girl, I am not just the queen” I told her, “I will protect you.” I spoke with the High Septon later that day who was more then willing to speak with me on my nameday. I asked him to annul the marriage and spoke of the abuse she had suffered, he did not hesitate and drew up the annulment immediately.   
I had Lyra moved to different chambers and wrote up a decree making her lady of the gardens, she would decide what would be done with placement of the flowers. Which to be honest was a title I had made up while staring at the decree. Drevyn was less then pleased that I had invited them to Kingslanding and then taken his wife from him.  
As I was telling Lyra of the good news he approached us in the hall, Lyra scared stepped behind me and I in-turn hid her behind my body, though I was barely larger then her. “You cannot take my wife from me.”  
“She is no longer your wife, she is a lady of my court and must stay here” his face grew red. Sir barristen grabbed the hilt of his sword, but I stood my ground as he clenched and unclenched his hand, “go on then, try. Then Lyra won’t be the only thing I take from you.”  
“You will regret this” he said.  
“If I ever see you again. If you dare to retaliate I will have you imprisoned until my dragon is grown and you will be removed from this plane forever” I said. He clenched his jaw and left.


	14. Chapter 14

I woke encompassed in warmth, it had started to become a little cooler in the capital. Wrapped in Jon’s arms though it was warm as summer. I untangled our limbs from each other and began to rise, putting on my dress and beginning to put up my hair. Jon began to wake not long after, though he was a bit slower than me. Before he could get properly dressed there was a knock on the door, a messenger with two different scrolls. Jon looked at his and scowled before handing it to me. The Lannister’s were gaining some traction with the houses and they were being swayed by their words he needed to call together a war council. “We will be safe” Jon said kissing my forehead and heading to meet with his advisors.  
Mine was a message from Varys he wanted to meet at Daria’s den to discuss something. I headed his way; the den had been partially reconstructed with its high walls though no carvings were in the sides there were still the blackened bones of Daria’s most recent meals. I told Sir Bronn to wait outside as I met him near a blackened skull of a cow. “It always amazes me that she hasn’t killed anyone, not like the other 3” he said.  
“She was reborn with my blood, so I assume she is like me” I said.  
“Many have heard about your kindness when you named that girl Lady of the gardens. They know that you are a good Queen with an open heart” he said.  
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked he didn’t say it like it was a good trait to have.  
“On the contrary it’s exactly what this country needs. When you first came to Kingslanding you were a timid girl and now you are a confident well loved Queen perhaps the most loved in the past century. It’s refreshing and we are all thankful for you” he said.  
“I have a feeling you’re going to get to the point soon” I said.  
“Yes, amongst the people there is another rising in love. A man who calls himself the High Sparrow is gaining in popularity in the city” he said, “radicals can seem harmless at first, but I warn you the people are the many and you are the few.”  
“You don’t have to tell me Varys, I understand more than anyone what a radical holy man can do. My father dealt with a few. Ella” I stopped remembering the last straw of when my sister left at 12 a Septon had whipped her without my father’s permission for fornication. The Septon had been punished but the scars were still there. “Ella knows worse than I” I finished the sentence.  
“You should go speak to the man. I believe you’ll be able to make that much of a difference if the people see that you are not on this man’s side” he said.  
“Do you know where I can find this man?” I asked.  
“Yes” he said and he told me where, “what do you plan to do?”  
“I’m going to test him on his knowledge of the seven pointed star, luckily I know it better than most Septons” I said.  
Bronn agreed to accompany me to meet with the High Sparrow, not that he had much a choice this is what we were paying him for. “Your Grace, I hate to ask” he said without a shred of guilt.  
“What is it Sir Bronn?” I asked knowing full well whatever the question was it did not pain him at all to ask.  
“I’ve been serving you and your family for many years now and I assume you are satisfied with my services” he said.  
“Yes you have been very loyal, you are invaluable to us”  
“Well since you mentioned that I’d like to ask for a castle” he said.  
“A castle?”  
“And a noble wife” he said.  
“Do you have one in mind?”  
“Well I hadn’t much thought of it and I don’t know much about castles but if one were to become available in the future and you need someone to keep hold of it. I hope you will keep me in mind, your Grace” he said.  
“I do appreciate your service. Loyalty even through gold is worth more to us then any castle” I said, “as for a wife that should come with the castle. But know this if you ever betray me or my family I will have Daria eat you, starting with your feet”  
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, your Grace” he said.  
I climbed the steps without Bronn toward the High Sparrow who was serving bowls of brown to the poor. “Your Grace, what brings you here today?” He asked. He was an older fellow, thin and in a simple covering, his skin was worn from he sun and wrinkled and he was not wearing any shoes.  
“I’ve come to see you, High Sparrow” I said.  
“The High Sparrow is a name the people gave me, I did not choose it so willingly, your Grace” he spoke to me, he spoke as if he had an education. “You seem unbothered buy these people, did you work with the poor in Oldtown?” He asked.  
The poor had never bothered me, my father had always said I was too trusting and that I should be more weary of them, but I had gained a reputation with them by that point and even the worst of them wouldn’t harm me. “Yes quite extensively. Much to my fathers’ dismay I gave much of my jewelry to the poor, I still keep bread in pockets, just in case.”  
“The people talk of their Queen with such love and fervor. They favor you because you are kind. Would you still give up your fine items for the poor?” He asked.  
“Of course, they are just things and if they feed a family for a fortnight rather then hang about my neck then I would happily give up my jewelry” I said reaching to undo the clasp on the gold necklace.  
“That’s alright my dear, it suits you better” he said and I put my hands down. Though I did pull out the bread, the money I had brought with me and the candied plums I had planned on eating setting them on the table nearby.  
“The people of westeros mean more to me then you can imagine. I know the mother bestowed me with her love when I became Queen so that I may give it all to its people.”  
“We are lucky to have a devoted Queen, but I fear others do not share your devotion. The High Septon is more often found devoting himself to whores and the people worship sin” admittedly I had heard of the High Septon and had previously chastised him for his behavior. Apparently my warning had not been taken as seriously as he had lead me to believe. “The seven hells brim with the souls of saintly men. They scream in agony and their shame is so great” he quoted from the seven pointed star. I knew the quote, I knew the whole book by heart.  
“They do not feel the flames, for now they see if not for a single sin they concealed, they were saved” I finished the quote for him, “but do you forget the passage before? ‘Do not presume to know the damned. The foulest murderer may repent and seek the mother’s mercy before the end. The honest Septon may pray every night and still be found wanting.”  
“You know the seven pointed star well, I’m impressed. You and I both want the same thing. We don’t want our country and our people to fall into sin and depravity. I am not an enemy of the crown despite what your advisors tell you. I simply want what is best for the people” he said.  
“I appreciate what you are doing for the people. I have heard and spoke with the High Septon about his habits in the past. You are right but it not your place to deal out punishment for sinners that is left to the gods. Perhaps though I will ask my husband the King to consider appointing a new holy leader” I said, this man would not be on the list but I knew of several Septons who had been tempted with sin and denied it, who truly believed in the holy book.  
“This is all I ask that you think of the country and do what is right” he said with a nod. I slipped the rings off my fingers and placed them next to the bread.  
“I’ll talk to the cooks about sending some proper meat for your stew” I said.  
“Thank you, your Grace” he said.  
I wrote up a decree for Jon to name a new High Septon and gave him a list of names, he could pick which ever one. I believe though he picked one at random.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I reread my first chapter and i should rewrite it, but I’m struggling to post the prewritten chapters i’ve had for months so that probably won’t happen.

For the first time in the years since Jon had become King I was invited to a small council meeting, I felt out of place despite Jon looking at me with so much relief. “Stannis Baratheon wants to speak about renaming his daughter the warden of the Stormlands” Jon said.  
“King Jon would go himself but he’s very busy making war preparations” Loris said. Jon had been very stressed and had asked for supplies from the Tyrells who were helping him, in exchange for Loris to be placed on the small council as master of coin; which had previously been held by Lord Lucerys Darklyn who had served Rhaegar.   
“Of course Stannis wants reassurance from the royal family. I would happily go instead” I said, Jon let out a breath that I doubt he knew he was holding.  
“We will prepare a ship for Tarth” Lord Warrek of house Harlton said, he was the master of ships.  
“There is no need, I will ride Daria. She is large enough now” I said.  
“But what of your safety your Grace?” He asked.  
“Sir Bronn will accompany me, he has been in my service for many years now” I said, Jon looked disappointed that he hadn’t thought of the idea to ride his dragon there first, “with such a short ride we can surely be there in a day”  
“We will send word of your departure to Lord Selwyn Tarth” maester Pylos said.  
Bronn wasn’t as excited as I was to ride Daria, he had always been a bit scared of her once she had gotten bigger than him. “Shouldn’t we take a ship?” He asked as I had Daria move her body low so that I may climb onto her back.   
I reached my hand out to him to help him up and he eyed it like it may bite him, “Daria is faster, come on now” I said and he climbed on her back, “hold on tight.”  
“Your sure this is safe?” He asked I had flown with Daria as soon as she was big enough, short rides as I held onto the horns on her back.  
“Mostly” I said, “just don’t piss yourself” and we took off. We were there by evening and Sir Bronn all but threw himself on the ground in front of Lord Selwyn and his daughter Lady Brienne. Lady Brienne I had heard was very tall and very good with a sword. She lived up to her name and was taller then even Sir Bronn, muscular and flat chested though I was no one to judge at that. She had shoulder length straw colored hair with coarse features and was covered in freckles, well as far as I could see in her armor. Her nose looked like it had been broken perhaps more then once but her eyes were beautiful, the color of the crystal blue water that surrounded her island.   
Lord Selwyn was similar in looks though shorter than his daughter. He had crooked teeth and the same wonderful blue eyes.  
“Your Grace, it is an honor” Lord Selwyn said bowing and his daughter bowed as well. I smiled and thanked them for hosting this meeting.  
“Stannis will meet you in the morning you arrived much faster then we expected” he said, “you will meet at the south side of the island.”  
“Thank you, Lord Tarth” I said.  
The next morning we met with Stannis Baratheon, his daughter Shireen and a man named Sir Davoos Seaworth. Brienne, Sir Bronn and Daria were with me though Daria was flying overhead. Shireen gazed up at her with wonder. “Thank you for meeting me here your Grace, I know you and the King are both busy” he said.  
“Preparing to fight against the Baratheon and Lannister armies” I said.  
“My bannermen all returned home under Rhaegar’s forgiveness. My men refused to fight for my brother or the Lannisters” he explained. Rhaegar had agreed to forgive all those who fought against his father if they promised to repledge themselves to the Targaryens and many of them had. They had lost the war and were happy enough to return to their castle and Rhaegar was not given the duty to give away their lands. Though the Stormlands were still ungoverned do to the importance of the area. “I know I cannot regain the Stormlands but I beg you” he knelt, “let my daughter return home, let her have the lands of her grandfather and those before him. Do not punish her for my crimes.”  
“When was the last time you spoke to your brother?” I asked, while he had a goal to give his daughter the lands she deserved I was also tasked with gathering as much information as possible.  
“I have not spoken to Renly since the birth of Myrcella” the youngest daughter of the Baratheon and Lannister union, “I saw the children and I knew they were not his, but he didn’t listen. We did not part on good terms and I have not seen them since” a shame, “I told him not to get mixed up with the Lannisters and look what it’s gotten him three bastard children without a drop of Baratheon in them combined.”  
“Shame” I spoke my thoughts. I followed Shireen’s gaze and lifted my hand. Daria descended at my signal as if she had been waiting for it. She landed behind me, her teeth black and the gold showing on her horned body. The sunlight made her amethyst hide even more beautiful.  
“Shireen have you ever seen a dragon?” I asked the young girl.  
“I’ve read about them in books” she said staring.  
“I read about them too. Would you pledge your loyalty to my husband the King if I asked?”   
“Can I touch her?” She asked ignoring my question. She reminded me of my children even with the grayscale marring her face. She had a curious mind and wonder still in her eyes.  
“Of course” I said and the little girl stepped forward with her hand outstretched. Daria met her part of the way.  
“She’s warm” she said her eyes growing wide. Daria blinked keeping her gaze on the girl, always so patient.  
“She likes it right here” I said guiding her little hand below the dragon’s jaw and Shireen rubbed the spot. Daria closed her eyes and hummed sending a rumble through the air.  
“Who will watch over Shireen until she is ready to rule the Stormlands?” I asked. As much as I would love to keep her at court I wouldn’t want her to become unattached from the Stormlands.  
“Me, Daavos Seaworth, you’re Grace. I will act as her council” he said. I nodded, good she shouldn’t be alone.  
“I want to pledge to you Queen Nyla, but could I have a dragon ride?” She asked removing her hand and Daria moved back.  
“Yes, that I can do. But why pledge to me?”  
“You’re good and you are the first non-Targaryen to have a dragon. You are generous and kind, you are the one who deserves my loyalty” I smiled at her flattering words.  
“Shireen Baratheon do you pledge your loyalty to me and my family? To come to our aid and serve as our bannermen whenever called upon?” I asked the pledge. Shireen knelt her father handing her his sword. “Stand” I told her and she did, “now how about that dragon ride?” I asked.  
“Thank you” Stannis said once we landed.  
“Where will you go?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.  
“Perhaps I’ll see what is west, away from this nonsense”  
“I wish you safe travels” I said. Shireen hugged her father one last time before he left. Daavos and Shireen returned to the keep so that their proper arrangements could be made about where they would be staying.  
I began to walk back as well but I was stopped by Lady Brienne, “Your Grace may I ask something of you?” She asked.  
“Of course Lady Brienne” I said stopping and waiting.  
“Would you allow me to be by your side and protect you? I have no place here and it would honor me to guard such a noble queen” she said.  
“I have a knight” I gestured to Sir Bronn, who nodded and looked a little annoyed that someone was trying to take his place.  
“It is wise to have another in case one is occupied” Brienne said. Both Bronn and I looked toward Daria who was now eating what remained of a very crisp dolphin, “your dragon may not always be there. Please your Grace it would be a great honor” she said and I gave in and nodded.  
She laid her sword at my feet and knelt, “Queen Nyla Targaryen I offer my services. I will shield your back and keep your council and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”  
“And I vow that you shall always have a place by my hearth and meed and meat at my table and I pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you dishonor. I swear it by the old gods and the new. Arise.”


	16. Chapter 16

Ellia squirmed in my arms as I held her trying to feed her the soft apple mush that we had prepared for her. She was not having it and refused to open her mouth or would spit it back up as soon as I got it in. “Your Grace” Varys said looked at the babe like she was an infection. Ellia never really seemed to enjoy Varys not like Aemon who would still totter up to the man and hold up a fist full of whatever he had grabbed on his way. Aemon was playing in the dirt, his favorite thing to do was to muss up his clothing.  
“Mama look” Aemon interrupted Varys to bring me a handful of pebbles.  
“How pretty” I said.  
“They’re dragon eggs” he said.  
“Very small dragon eggs” I told him with a smile. Ellia knocked the bowl from the table and I gave up.  
“Your Grace, a new Lord has come to the court today” he said.  
“Yes to meet with Jon about something I assume” I said.  
“No” Ellia shouted and reached for the ground, I handed her to Lyra. She picked her up briefly and moved her to the softer grass. Lyra loved the kids and I would often let her watch them.  
“Actually he asked to speak with you” he said.  
“Oh? Why?” I asked.  
“I thought you may have a better idea than me. I’ve heard he’s elegant with his words and runs some popular brothels in the city” he said. I was having a hard time thinking of a reason why he would want to speak with me specifically. I’d never met the man or been to the Vale, I’d only met the Lord of the Vale once when I was just a girl.  
“I wouldn’t know honestly” I said, “did Jon mention anything about him?”  
“Well” by the tone of his voice I assumed that this man may have offended Jon in some way. “There are a few rumors of him sending him a letter. Now I don’t know the context for sure you’d have to ask our King for that. But as I understand he offered him a free stay at one of his brothels” he trailed off. Yes Jon would probably take offense to that even after so many years Jon was still very faithful and we were both still very active. Despite being told of other Lady’s having a problem with their husband’s wandering eyes.   
“I’m sure Lord Baelish thought it was a good idea at the time” I said though I couldn’t stop my smirk as I knew Jon had turned him down.  
“Where would you like to meet him?” He asked.  
“Bring him to the dragon pit mid afternoon. If you would?” I asked.  
“Of course, your Grace” he said heading back toward the keep through the gardens.   
“Would you watch Ellia this afternoon?” I asked Lyra as she helped my daughter pull up handfuls of grass.  
“Of course, I would love to” she said, “maybe I can even get her to eat something.”  
“I wish you good luck” I told her. I went through my letters and such, Lyarra was getting an increasing number of marriage proposals and I was the one who had to deal with it. Jon had given up and I was sorting through them. I was looking for a man that would let her be herself and not expect a proper Lady as Lyarra was definitely not that. Prince Trystane of Dorne was at the top of the list many women there were allowed and encouraged to wield weapons. I know Prince Oberyn’s bastard daughters all knew how to fight. It would be a good alliance as well. There were a few lesser houses who were willing. Loris had put his name in, but I knew Loris and I wasn’t sure if Lyarra would be ok with his activities. There was a boy from the north who was supposed to be making his way here to ask in person and get to know her. A bastard who Jon had declared him a true born son. Something Bolton. I wasn’t sure I’d have to ask again later.  
When it was about time I grabbed onto Aemon’s hand whose pockets were now filled with rocks and we walked over to the dragon pit. It took us quite a bit of time with his shuffling feet and need to stop to see all the flowers. To our surprise three of the dragons were there; Aegon, Morghon and Daria was circling overhead, probably annoyed that her siblings were in her nest. Aegon came down from his perch, a massive beast now. His black scales made him look terrifying and the silver ran like veins in between his scales, giving them the look of valyrian steel. Aemon was not afraid though and ran toward the mighty dragon. Aegon placed his chin upon the ground like a bow and Aemon stroked his little hands along his scales, he disappeared under one wing and I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.   
I turned my head to look, Varys and another man were coming along the walk. He was certainly not what I expected. He was thin and rather small, at least compared to Varys. He had dark hair with some grey giving away to his age, sharp features that were pulled together with a black beard that came to a point at his chin. He had grey-green eyes that revealed nothing.  
“Queen Nyla, thank you for meeting with me” he said with a deep bow and a small smile though it didn’t quite meet his eyes.  
“Yes, well I hope you don’t mind the location. Aemon likes to see the dragons and they are all here today” I said looking back toward him, Aemon was trying to climb onto Aegon but could not get the footing he wanted. Aegon was being very patient as he always was.  
“Beautiful creatures” he said. I nodded to Varys and he headed back up the steps, I’m sure not far enough away to be out of ear shot. Morghon was feigning to be asleep but she could not hide that one slitted eye that kept watch on this stranger.  
“You must forgive me but no ones told me your first name” I said I was testing him an underhanded attempt I admit but I had heard of this man’s silver tongue and cunning demeanor.  
“Petyr” he said, Aemon tottered away from Aegon and toward Morghon. He had given up on trying to climb onto the rather large dragon and went for a small one. “I’ve heard of you, your Grace. Your beauty and I must say I am not disappointed” he said.  
“Thank you” I said, “I’ve not heard much of you, where do you come from?” I asked.  
“I come from a small land mass called the finger’s originally. But I grew up in Riverrun with the Tully’s” he said.  
“More redheads” I smiled, “well what is it that you wanted to speak about?”  
“I’ve heard of your negotiation abilities from Oldtown and how you managed to enthrall the Prince. I simply wanted to chat about a mutually beneficial alliance between us” he said.  
“Mama, I’m a dragon rider” Aegon shouted from atop Morghon who was still sitting perfectly still but had both eyes open now. Dark black pools to match her black scales.  
“You are, my little Prince” I called back to him “And what alliance would that be?” I asked. He pulled a scroll from behind him where he had been keeping it and handed it to me. The seal was already broken though I recognized the lion of house Lannister and I rolled it open. It discussed a bargain for Lord Baelish that he may give information about Westeros to the Lannisters in exchange for his safety when the war was over and the Lannisters were sitting on the iron throne. “Why share this with me?” I asked.  
“I am a betting man but I would not bet against odds so great. A war will come to Westeros and I want to be on the winning side” he said.  
“And what side is that?” I asked, I knew he had implied that ours was the winning side but I wanted him to say it.  
“Your side of course” he stopped speaking as Daria finally landed clawing at the bricks and breaking them as she came toward me, yellow eyes blinking and taking in the man beside me. She flashed her teeth, large black daggers as long as my forearm. Aemon, who was sliding off Morghon, running to greet her. She pushed her face into his and sniffed deeply, I had been teaching her to track scents since she was small. He stood perfectly still but I could see the fear in his stance, Daria could easily eat him. She could track a handful of things, not many people, not yet. Daria pulled her head back and nuzzled the little boy standing at her side. “They are not fearful of humans, I’ve heard the crown pays double for any cattle they take” he said.  
“Yes, no need to punish the farmers if a dragon simply took their livestock” I said.  
“Do they have a taste for flesh?” He asked, he meant human flesh of course.  
“Princess Daenerys has fed her dragon a few men but the others don’t seem to have much of a taste for it” I said. “So what is this alliance you had in mind?”  
“I thought we could use this to our benefit, I could gather information about the Lannister army and in return I could have a seat on the high council” he said.  
“I’m afraid I don’t get to decide who sits on the high council and on top of that we already have a master of whispers” I said.  
“Perhaps you could put in a good word for me with the King then. I’m afraid we got off on the wrong foot with my first letter” he said, “the King is not what I expected.”  
“I will consider it” I said. He must have sensed that I was done speaking with him and excused himself. Varys appeared at my side not long after and Aemon ran to my side.  
“You shouldn’t trust him” he said.  
“Only an idiot would trust that man” I said.  
That evening when Jon and I were getting ready for bed and we were going about our nightly routines, taking about the news we had received in the day, “Dany is returning finally” he said.  
“Has Essos been properly burnt to a crisp?” I asked.  
“Apparently” he said, “she’s bringing with her 8000 unsullied and 100,000 Dothraki. We’ll have to ask her how that happened, I’ve only heard rumors” he said.  
“Well for the best, you couldn’t play dumb forever” I said.  
“Hard not to when she left us in the dark. She had me write a pardon for a Lord Mormont as well. Some Lord she found in Essos, I’m not certain.”  
Once we were done talking about Dany I brought up my conversation with Lord Baelish, “I met with Petyr Baelish today” I said.  
“That man” he muttered, “what’d he have to say?”  
“He revealed that he was contacted by the Lannisters and wants to work as a spy for us” I said.  
“Well that’s enough for treason right there, what’d he want in return?” He asked.  
“A place on the high council” I said.  
“No” he said.  
“Well I don’t decide whose on the high council and beside we already have a master of whispers” I explained, “he asked me to put in a good word for him but I don’t think I can do that.”  
“You wouldn’t believe the awful letter he sent me” he said, “offered me his best whore since my wife was beginning to age.”  
“Am I aging, at 22 years of age?” I asked with a sly smile.  
“We are both old and graying for certain” he said wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in for a kiss. “It won’t be long before Aemon takes the throne the youngest King at 5” we both laughed at that.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ve had a rough week, if you have too I hope you enjoy the chapter.

“Oh my she is beautiful, not like her namesake but beautiful none the less” Oberyn cooed at Ellia. He had come to the capital with his nephew Prince Trystane to meet with Lyarra about a marriage. I had talked to her about it and given the Prince a few pointers on how to wooh the Princess. I wished him the best of luck and gave him a shove toward Lyarra. She was reading under a tree in the garden, even wearing a dress.  
“Your Highness” the squire called to me, I believe his name was Podric. He was certainly getting a workout with the amount of messages he was to deliver. He huffed a few times as he caught his breath, “the King requests you in the High council chambers” he said through breaths.  
“I will take Ellia, you go meet with the politicians” Oberyn said taking her from my arms she went very willingly and proceeded to reach for his mustaches.  
“Be careful she likes to pull things” I said moving her hand away as I followed Podric back to the chambers. We went at a brisk walk as I never ran. It was in the rules Lyanna had first laid out for me, “Queen’s never run.”  
Do to the number of times I had been called to the High council meeting recently I thought they might ask me to attend them on a regular basis. As we approached the room, I could already hear shouting coming from inside. Lyanna was yelling about something.  
I opened the door and heard the last of what she was saying, “I need retribution for these actions. They can’t get away with this we need to make an example of them. Such a crime needs to be dealt with by the crown” she shouted her voice echoing about the chamber.  
“Queen Nyla” Maester Pylos greeted me as I tried to understand what exactly was going on.  
Lyanna whipped around and grabbed me by the shoulders, “they’ve killed Ned. You must agree that the crown should deal with them” she said.  
It took me a moment to realize who Ned was but the words washed over me and my lips pressed into a hard frown. “Who killed your brother?” I asked.  
“The Frey’s because he would not except a marriage proposal. Shot him down like a pin cushion” she said.  
“That’s terrible but I admit it’s up to Jon” I said.  
Jon had his head in his hands, this certainly was not where he expected the day to go, he’d talked about going for a ride on Aegon later when we’d woke this morning. “Nyla would you go to the twins with my mother to punish the Frey’s” he said though I’m sure he meant for me to watch her in case she lost it. This way we could say that whatever she did was sanctioned by the crown.  
“We can take the dragons and be there by sundown” Lyanna said turning and leaving no doubt to send a raven and make preparations.  
“Perhaps we can use this opportunity to show those houses who are thinking about joining the Lannisters a reason not to” the master of war said.  
“I’ve heard of the Frey’s the Lord Walder Frey was always a bit too full of himself wasn’t he?” I asked.  
“Yes, so the Lords tell me” Jon said, “thank you for going with her.”  
“It is not a problem” I said.   
Later that day we climbed atop our dragons, she was riding Morghon, I’m certain that Lyarra was interested in making her dragon the most feared beast in the Kingdom. The ride was colder despite the layers we had put on. We arrived at the keep by sunset and met the Starks outside who all bowed. Though I assured them that due to circumstances it was not necessary. Sansa and Arya both had red eyes that were puffy from crying, Catelyn Stark shared this with her daughters.   
“Come inside it is too cold out here” she said ushering us inside.  
Robb Stark was a man now though the last I had heard about him Arya and Sansa talked about how he had made a fool of himself. Arya had described him as stocky with blue eyes and curled red-brown hair. He much resembled Jon and in fact I thought they could be brothers. His direwolf padded at his side a great big grey wolf nearly as tall as him. All of the wolves were not caged though many of them were laying about inside where it was warm. Lady stood up and came padding over to me, tail wagging and I ungloved my hand, reaching it out to her. She didn’t waste a moment and nosed at my hand to pet her and I obliged.   
“Run along, I need to speak to the Queen and the Queen mother” Catelyn said and the children went, save Robb who stood by his mother like a crutch.  
“It is wonderful to meet you, even under the circumstances” Lyanna said giving her a hug. Catelyn seemed uncomfortable with the gesture though she returned it. Had they really never met? I found that a bit odd.  
“Yes, well I suppose you would want to go and view” she choked on the word, “him.”  
“Yes, thank you” Lyanna said and we were lead away. I noticed the Stark boy glancing between Lyanna and I, perhaps brimming with questions that he could not ask at the moment. Lyanna spoke about stories with Catelyn on how Ned was always a bit shy, I’m sure she was trying to help but the straightness of her back and the way she reacted I did not think Catelyn enjoyed hearing about the way her husband used to be before the war.  
“What is your direwolves name?” I asked.  
“Grey wind” he said, “your dragons name is Daria right? It means Queen in High valyrian” he said.  
“Yes, admittedly I didn’t put much thought into the name” I said.  
“What’s the other one named?” He asked.  
“Morghon, it means death in High valyrian. I think Lyarra put too much thought into it” I said with a smile and he smiled back.  
“My youngest brother named his direwolf shaggy dog” he said and we both smiled.  
“He was quite young though” I said.  
“Yes but it doesn’t exactly strike fear into anyone” he said.  
“Well it is a direwolf I’m sure that’s enough to fear” I told him as we arrived at the sept. Lyanna was allowed to go in alone but she insisted I go with her. This was not the first body I had seen, I had been to the sept many times when men were laid out on the table in Oldtown. I’d prayed for those who did not have families. This one though was different I felt as if I was intruding on something private. As if I didn’t belong. She cried, I had never seen her cry not even when she was shouting at Jon about retribution for the Frey’s crime.   
I had comforted many grieving women I was not a stranger to this part. I placed my hand on her back and she turned to me wrapping me in a hug and sobbing into my shoulder. I shushed her and rubbed her back trying the reassure her that it would be alright. When her tears subsided she wiped at her eyes and laughed, “this is the first time you’ve seen me cry.”  
“Yes I think it is” I told her.  
“I’m sorry” she said.  
“There is no need to apologize” I said, we stood there a bit longer starring at her dead brother before my stomach finally gurgled from beneath the dress I was wearing. I had not eaten since breakfast with the commotion going on.  
“I think it’s time for dinner” she said with a laugh.  
“Please” I begged her.  
“Of course, my Queen” she smiled and we headed for the door, “thank you Nyla” she said.  
“Your welcome to cry on my dress anytime” I told her squeezing her hand. We stepped back out into the cold where Robb was still standing the poor man must have been freezing.  
“Where will we be having dinner?” Lyanna asked she had gathered herself so no one could tell she had been sobbing moments before.  
“In the dining hall” Robb said and lead us toward it. He still kept glancing back at me, it was not a look of lust but curiosity. Lyanna followed his gaze to me and lifted a brow but I ignored her. The dining hall was warm with the sweet scent of roasted meats and cooked vegetables I was all but starving at that point. We sat and ate the men that they had brought with them had already eaten while we were viewing Eddard Stark’s body and long since gone to bed. I had a glass of wine with my meal and the Starks shared stories of their father.  
“Father always bragged about how he named the King Jon, is that true?” Little Rickon asked.   
“Yes I suppose he did. I’ll tell you the story really though. There I was, I’d just given birth and in walks Ned bloodied and winded from the fight with sir Arthur Dayne. He had no words. Robert was dead but he came for me anyway. His name is Aegon I told him as the midwife place him in Ned’s arms. Do you know what my brother said to me, “you can’t name him that.” We finally agreed on Jon after much debate” she said the Stark’s laughed at their brash father and how he spoke to her at the time.   
After dinner I was escorted by Sansa to her bed chamber she was staying in, I would be sharing her bed and Lyanna would be sleeping somewhere else. Sansa did not want to sleep, she cried for a bit and comforted her too, her direwolf Lady nosed at her to stop and whined when she didn’t. We ended up talking about stories, I told her about Aemon and Ellia how they were growing. I spoke of the politics of court and the war from the Lannisters though I hardly had anything to do with that. “I think Robb likes you” she said, “he’s been looking at you a lot, when we came back from the capital I told him how beautiful you looked in your wedding gown and he didn’t believe me” she blurted out.  
“I don’t think so, and besides I am already married” I said.   
“Well what else could he want?” She asked.  
“Maybe he’s interested to know about Daria, I don’t wonder what goes through the minds of men” I teased her. I could not shirk her words though and I had a restless slumber though that could do with the cold. When we woke the next morning Sansa had to all but drag me from the warm furs, a first for both of us. We dressed for breakfast and I sat next to Lyanna at the table, the conversation seemed a bit forced but eventually we were able to get a nice conversation going. Stories about the wolves began.   
“Why is Robb Stark staring at you?” Lyanna asked.  
“Why would I know?” I narrowed my eyes at her.  
“Aren’t you grumpy today, didn’t you sleep well?” She asked.  
“I’m sorry I’m not used to the cold” I admitted.  
“Yes it’s not easy to get used to. You’ve never been this far north have you?” She asked.  
“I haven’t been farther north then casterly rock” I said.  
“Really?” Lyanna asked maybe a little too loud as everyone looked over at us, “Queen Nyla has just admitted that this is the farthest north she’s ever been” Lyanna explained.  
“What’s the farthest before this?” Arya asked.  
“Casterly rock, we went when I was young when my father wanted to speak to Tyrion about some deal” I said.  
“That’s not far north at all” Catelyn said.  
“No, was the change very difficult for you when you were first wed?” I asked trying to change the subject to my lack of exploration of the Kingdom.  
“Oh yes, my room is the warmest in winterfell” she said thinking about it before explaining how the castle was built over a hot spring and she had picked it herself. She admitted she got used to it but missed the warmth of Riverrun.  
“How will you do it? The execution?” Arya suddenly asked as if she couldn’t stop herself. They all looked at me and I in turn looked at Lyanna.  
“Arya” Catelyn hissed but didn’t try to change the subject.  
“By fire for the sons, it’ll be rather quick. Another way for Lord Frey himself” Lyanna said, “well it is as good enough of a time as any don’t you think?” We silently rose and headed for the area the execution would be held.  
I hung back from the group and found Robb join me on the walk, “Your grace, I’ve been wanting to ask you something” he said.  
“What can I help you with?” I asked flexing my fingers trying to get the feeling back into them in the fur lined gloves I was wearing.  
“How did you decide to marry the King?” He asked, “you were under pressure not to wed and I heard that they went as far as to threaten to remove you from the Tyrell name.”  
“Yes, that was a bit of a trying time admittedly” I said, “why do you ask?”   
“I” he stopped for a moment before restarting. Our pace had slowed and we were a ways behind the group, Lyanna glanced back for a moment but kept walking. “I was supposed to wed one of the Frey girls but I fell in love with another. My father came to The Twins himself to break off the engagement and for his trouble he was killed. I just wanted to know how you overcame your hardship and decided to marry the Prince anyway” he said.  
I thought about my words here picking them precisely, “I suppose I was tired of living life with caution. Most of my family takes each step in life very carefully, my father doesn’t even hardly leave his tower anymore. I’ve been told all my life what I should and should not do and in that moment I knew that there was right path and a path that I wanted. I was selfish for only a moment but it worked out in the end. What is your love like?” I asked.  
“Well she’s very beautiful and she’s from Volantis, a healer. Kind and gentle but with a fierce tongue” he said describing her briefly, he smiled when he spoke of her a smile that reached his eyes. “But my father died because” he stopped unable to get the words out.  
“Your father believed in your love for this young woman, so much so he came all the way here to call off a previous engagement so that you could be happy with this woman. He believed in your choice and you should as well. The Frey’s will be punished for their crimes you don’t have to punish yourself for theirs as well” I said. He seemed pleased with my words and nodded, we were reaching the area for the execution where the crowd was waiting, “and you might want to tell your sisters so that they will stop whispering about every little thing.”  
The execution spot was a ways away in an open clearing, Daria immediately came down from the sky to greet me. Pressing her snout into my face and humming as she always did. She scared off many of the wolves except for Greywind and Nymeria who stood their ground and snarled. Arya shushed Nymeria who laid down but Robb had a bit of a hard time getting his to settle as well.  
The Frey’s were brought out tied with rope so that they could not run, the two sons Lothar and black Walder were clearly trembling but the old man didn’t even bat an eye at Daria. “Smaller then I expected” was all he said. Daria took offense to that and screeched at them, scaring him onto his backside and then there was the acrid smell of urine as one of the sons had wet himself.  
“Where is Morghon?” Lyanna asked.  
“Best to start, she’ll come around” I said gesturing for the two sons to be brought forward in front of Daria who crawled back a bit. I’d done a great deal of training with Daria and she could spit flame when commanded and on whatever I told her to. We cleared the area so that no one would get singed who wasn’t supposed to. “In the name of Jon of the House targaryen, first of his name, King of the Andals and the first men, Lord of the seven Kingdoms, and protector of the realm, I Nyla of the house Targaryen, Queen of the seven Kingdoms, sentence you to die. Do you have any last words?” I asked the two men as they looked at Daria.  
“Please, please forgive us. He made us our father told us that if we didn’t kill Lord Stark he’d kill us” Lothar said.  
“Please you’re grace, we will do anything. I’m afraid, please” black Walder begged.  
“Fire” I told Daria and she opened her mouth and released her bright flame mixed with streaks of gold onto the two. Lord Walder dropped to his knees as he watched his sons scream and then disintegrate into ash leaving nothing but a black spot where they had once stood. The wolves fled from the spot and those watching shielded their eyes from the heat and the light.  
“My sons, you murdered my sons” Lord Walder shouted. At the scent of burnt flesh and ash Morghon dropped from the clouded sky and landed near Daria. He was pushed forward in front of the giant black dragon and Morghon looked down at him like he was a sheep.  
“Morghon, Daria, time for breakfast” Lyanna used an old command that we hardly had to use anymore on them. Sometimes we had livestock brought in when the people were particularly unhappy with cows or whatever being snatched up, but that wasn’t the case anymore. Morghon reached out and clamped her jaws around Lord Frey’s leg, he screamed in agony as Daria grabbed his arm and ripped it from his body. Blood sprayed everywhere, the two dragons spit out the limbs and cooked them to their liking before eating them and then from there played a bit of tug of war with the rest of the man. I looked away trying to not meet the breakfast we had earlier.  
Later that day Bronn arrived on horse back I had arranged for him to take the castle in place of the Frey’s and he seemed disappointed that he had missed the execution. The Frey daughters were promised to be wed to noble houses and Bronn was aloud to pick amongst them for his new wife. Before we left to return to the red keep I spoke to him.  
“I hope you remember that conversation we had” I said.  
“Yes I do, your Grace, though you have come through on all of your promises. I see why they call you the Queen who keeps her promises” he said, I hadn’t heard that nickname, it was new to me.  
“Do they really call me that?” I asked.  
“They should start” he said and I laughed.  
“Well I hope you will have a happy marriage, Lord Bronn” I said and he bowed before we mounted our dragons and flew back to the Red Keep.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter I hope you do to.

“Something has happened” Podric said as he came into the room while Jon and I were in the middle of undress, “I’m sorry” he said almost immediately after, shutting the door. We put our clothes back on and we both made our way to the high council chamber.  
“What is going on?” Jon asked.  
“The Lannisters have taken Casterly Rock, the war has begun” the master of war said.  
“What of tyrion Lannister?” I asked.  
“We understand he has escaped and is on his way to the capital, your grace” Maester pylos said.  
“I’ll prepare accommodations for him” I said.  
“Perhaps it would be a good idea for the Queen to contact the martell’s, the Tyrell’s and the newly appointed Lady of the Stormlands for necessary men and supplies for this war” the master of ships said.  
“Yes, I can do that” I said.  
“Also there’s word from the north about another war. The details are” the maester paused, “strange.”  
“Do you have the note?” Jon asked.  
“Yes of course” he said handing it over.  
“We ask for men and supplies for the upcoming war against the army of the dead. If we cannot convince you by letter we ask for the King to come and see what is headed our way” Jon read the cryptic letter aloud.  
“The army of the dead?” The master of ships and I said nearly at the same time.  
“The King surely cannot go north for this, what of the repercussions?” The master of coin asked.  
“Not at this time when there is a war here on our land” the master of war said.  
“No I must go north to see what this is about, I can ride Aegon to shorten the travel time” Jon said.  
“Princess Danaerys is returning with an army of thousands we can surely hold on till that time, perhaps we can write north that in return for the presence of the King we may request a few soldiers for our own war” I said.  
“Yes a very good idea” the master of war said. I surely had to learn the names of these men but I couldn’t think of them at this time.

Aegon had burnt down a section of the garden’s much to Lyra’s dismay and when we found the dragons Daria had burnt large sections of the godswood down. The three dragons were all here fighting in the gardens, “stop it” I shouted at them as they swooped overhead. Daria and Morghon looked at me as Aegon seemed to challenge my words. I stared back at him and did not move.   
“Aegon” Jon called and the great dragon swooped down to greet his owner.  
“You spoil him, I can’t imagine what Drogon is like now” I said.  
“You will soon find out” he said. He was wrapped in furs and looked like he might burst from the heat, sweat was forming on his brow.   
“I will miss you, please stay safe” I said.  
“I will, I’ll see what this is about and do what I can. When Danaerys returns we’ll send some soldiers north and I will return” he said pressing a kiss to my forehead, “write to the Lords they will protect you.”  
“You protect him” I told Aegon and he looked at me with those intelligent eyes. Jon climbed on the back of Aegon and they took off, leaving Morghon and Daria behind to deal with the fight that was left over.  
“He will be alright” lyarra said leading the fresh cattle forward for the dragon’s meal.  
“I do hope so” I said. I wrote the Tyrell’s first and asked them for supplies and men, they would take the most time to gather everything, they were also our strongest allies. Next I wrote to my father and Lady Shireen. Lastly was Dorne who I asked for Oberyn to come advise the council even if I could not give him a position I wrote that I would make one up if necessary. I knew little about war and I hoped daenerys would be back soon, she could help with that sort of thing.  
“There are a few houses that are backing the Lannisters, those that came back who fought against us from Casterly Rock. Along with the tarly’s, they may try to sway the Lord Bronn” he said.  
“Bronn won’t betray us” I said.  
“Does this have to do with that game you taught Daria when she was small?” He asked.  
“Sort of” I said. In the King’s wood when Daria was small, well smaller, I had taught Daria to play fetch, first starting off with hidden meat and then moving on to finding people. She didn’t have a keen sense of smell but after once when I had tripped and fallen she was able to find me by my scent of blood much more easily. I’d made Bronn try it out to make sure. Daria already knew Bronn’s scent, she would be able to chase him to the end’s of the earth if I commanded it.

It was some time later when we began to worry about Highgarden, the other houses had sent word of their numbers they were able to send even the north sent 2000 men south to help us fight, they were due to arrive any day now. Shireen admitted she could not send many soldiers but offered us some of her best horses. 400 of them. Oberyn had only requested that he could ride a dragon to the capital so I had sent lyarra south to retrieve him, he asked for no title just the dragon ride. Lyarra said that Oberyn was very pleased with the ride even though he said nothing to me about it.  
But Highgarden did not respond, I demanded answers from the council. They said that Margaery may have still felt slighted by me but I knew this wasn’t true. Perhaps yes she felt some grudge but Margaery did not hold Highgarden, grandmother and I had been writing letters back and forth monthly and nothing as of recently. I sent a rider to Highgarden to see what was going on.

The wildling’s arrived a few days later, lead by a man with pale skin and bright red hair the same as mine. “I’ve heard of the Queen kissed by fire” he said, “your King sends his love.”  
“Thank you, I’ve prepared a place for the men and women you brought with you. I’ve also gathered horses for you to learn to ride” I said.  
“I would like to see the dragons, if that is alright” he said, “your King said that his was larger then yours and his sisters’ but I would like to see them none the less. I’m also to talk to you about what he saw in the north.”  
“Of course, this way” I said the guard led the rest of the wildlings to were we were putting them for the time. “My name is Nyla, no need to call me Queen or any of that” I said.  
“I’m Tormund Giantsbane” he said he met my gaze before his eyes moved to Brienne, they seemed to linger there. I had decided to be kind to the wildlings, the strangers, no need to be fowl or reserved. They had been willing to travel farther south then any other wildling in existence.  
“This is Brienne of Tarth, my personal guard” I introduced him.  
“The big dragon is quite impressive, he’ll do well for the war to come” he said, he must have meant Aegon.  
“What is this war exactly?” I asked.  
“Have you heard of the white walkers?” He asked.  
“I’ve read everything there is to know about them, but I’m still not sure what they are” I said.  
“They’re some ancient form of men, ancient and only able to be killed by dragon glass or valyrian steel” he said, “some sort of weapon you have.”  
“Yes, we can only forge it by certain circumstances but we have our best blacksmith’s working on it” I said.  
“How big is your biggest dragon?” Ygritte asked.  
“Drogon is the biggest, he is not here, but Daria is the best trained. Morghon and Daria are both here now” I said.  
“I’d like to see them” he said.   
“They’re at the dragon pits you’re welcome to go whenever you find the time. I advise that you don’t try to approach, Morghon and Daria don’t have a taste for human flesh but they aren’t dogs” I said.  
“You could say that again” he said.  
“I’ve had horses from the reach gathered so that we can mount as many of your men as you can gather, brienne would you show him the stables?” I asked, she seemed reluctant but showed Tormund the way.

Dany arrived a few days later with her many soldiers, her fleet of ships and of course on the back of Drogon. I knew she hadn’t flown him all the way here as she would have gotten here much faster if she did. She greeted me with a hug as I sat on the very uncomfortable iron throne. Oberyn had suggested that a fan fare was necessary to rally the people behind our great conquering princess. “You looked so uncomfortable on that chair” she whispered to me in the hug.  
“I’m so glad you’re back” I said.  
She released me from the hug, she looked older since last I’d seen her, “my army is yours in this Great War” she announced for the people in the court. They clapped and oohed as the head of her two armies stepped forward. A man named grey worm and an appointed Dothraki horse Lord who looked at me like I was a meal. I wished in that moment that Daria could fit into the great hall.  
“Thank you Danaerys” I said. “But unfortunately I must speak to you about something” I guided her into a private room and spoke about the war north, of the wildlings lent to us in the war.   
“We can send the unsullied, I’ll have them fitted with proper wear and send them north to the King. How does 4000 sound?” She asked.  
“That sounds great. Thank you Dany. I have missed you” I said.  
“Of course you have, with your permission I would like to lead the war council from here on” she said.  
“Yes, but you may have to fight Oberyn over it” I said and she waved off my comment.

The Lannister fleet approached the twins, the bridge was drawn and no one was passing, Jaimie wasn’t sure why Renly had insisted they take the castle. He hoped that he could resolve this peacefully the twins was a fortress after all, the Frey’s had made sure of it. He waited outside while someone on the bridge sent for the Lord of the castle, a sellsword after the Frey’s were killed, the male line anyway. The sellsword Bronn had been a personal guard to the Queen and was rewarded for it. A castle and a noble Frey wife for his trouble. He didn’t really expect to sway someone who was so loyal but he hoped there might be a bit of greed left in the man, that he may come to his senses if money was involved.  
The man was lean, wolffish in appearance even from where Jaimie stood from below, dark hair, dark eyes and stubble for a beard. “Aye what do you want?” He asked.  
“Lord bronn, we seek passage across your bridge” he said.  
“Don’t think the King and Queen would like me letting the enemy across the river” he said.  
“King Renly and Queen Cersei would be more than happy to reward you” Jaimie shouted.  
“I’m sure they would” he said he looked at his men and then back at the army behind Jaimie, “do you know what Queen nyla told me she would do if I ever betrayed her?”  
“No”  
“She said she’d have her dragon eat me. Feet first” Bronn said, a grisly idea and a threat that had stuck with the sellsword no doubt, “I’m a lot more afraid of her dragon than I am of an army that can’t penetrate my castle.” ‘My castle’ the castle he was gifted.  
“We’ll kill the dragon” Jaimie said, he’d heard of the baby dragons, he wasn’t worried.  
“You think you can? I’ve seen it, maybe not the other dragons but Queen Nyla has her regal dragon trained better than most dogs. She taught it to fetch when it was small and now it’s big, large enough to carry away cattle. Attack all you want you’re not crossing this bridge” he said walking back into his fort.


	19. Chapter 19

“Your Grace there is an emergency high council meeting you must come” Oberyn said. He had gotten used to my title by now and we went swiftly to the council chambers where the men were sitting with their eyes downcast.  
“Well what is it?” I asked annoyed. Aemon was in my arms, he had been giving the maids trouble and I was watching him.  
“The Lannisters have taken HighGarden” the master of war said. He gestured to the box and maester Pylos took Aemon from my arms as I approached it. Dany was pale from where she sat and watched me with concerned eyes.   
Oberyn’s mouth was pressed into a straight line and my hand shook as I lifted the cool wood of the lid. When I saw what was inside I immediately turned away and I met my breakfast once more. “We know that you have a gentle heart your Grace and we are taking action immediately” the master of ships said.  
Inside the box was the severed head of my grandmother Olenna. Sent with several bloodied roses and a note that had not escaped the red liquid inside. I grasped it, reading it aloud and ignoring the council, “this is what happens to those who betray the realm. The Tyrell children shall be our hostages so that we may end this war. If you do not surrender more heads will roll.”  
“Your Grace we are assembling the men to prepare an attack on the Baratheon Lannister army” the master of war said.  
I placed the letter back in the box and shut the lid, “Gather the wildlings we’re leaving. Where is Tormund?” I asked.  
“Where are you going?” The master of war asked.  
“We are done hiding in this castle if they want war they better be willing to sacrifice as much as they are willing to give out” I said. Tormund was in the stables I had horses gathered for the wildlings so that they could learn to ride. I’d not seen them fight but I was assured it was a spectacle. No marching just wild raging fighting and I thought they might be an unstoppable force if mounted on horseback.  
“Tormund, gather up your men we’re going to war” I said.  
“Excellent” he said grabbing his battle axe.  
“Your Grace, we should discuss this” Brienne said as I mounted onto Daria’s back. Dany climbed onto her Drogon and Morghon woke from her slumber to climb down toward us, interested by the commotion.  
“I will look for my cousins, I expect you will have no problem dealing with the men?” I called to Dany who nodded her silver hair.

The 5000 men rode their horses over the hill toward the Lannister army, you could hear the sounds of the hooves and the Lannister army had created a wall of spears and shields against the goods that they had taken from HighGarden. Perhaps they could have fended off the inexperienced wildlings and even the knights my father had sent to the capital but as they began to get hopeful Morghon, Drogon, Daria and I dropped down from the sky. You could almost see the men shaking in their boots. “Fire” I shouted to Morghon and she wasn’t going to deny me that pleasure as her fire lit up the ground. Daria swooped low and did the same.  
Morghon was a beast to be dealt with and she enjoyed the part she was playing, she swooped back around for the archers as Daria and I flew along the trail of carts searching for Margaery and Garlan. The wildlings were a mighty force on horseback and backed by my father’s knights they seemed to cut through the Lannister army like butter. They had an ace up their sleeve as we made our way back around to release flame on them again a spike flew past Dany, missing her by a few feet. I had thought it was a spear but it was much too large. Dany and I spotted the contraption that had shot the spike at her and rounded on it. Nothing dragon fire couldn’t clean from the earth, a second bolt found it’s mark though, piercing through Morghon’s wing and she lost control as she was forced to adjust her flying.   
For a moment though she fell and screeched in agony. She did not hit the ground, Aegon had a few holes in his wings when he was small and he flew fine. Morghon adjusted and Drogon swooped low enough for them both to blow fire on the contraption incinerating it and its controller.  
Margaery and Garlan were near the end of the train, I was able to clear the area of any soldiers with the help of Daria slamming her tail into anything that dared to get close. The dead man who had the keys was found not far away.  
The fight felt like it could not last longer, the thrill of it made me shake and when it was all done and won we rounded up the survivors. Margaery and Garlan were both safe and wrapped in cloaks, huddled near the men. We had quite a catch here, apparently Renly had not trusted the attack to just anyone, Jaimie Lannister was now our prisoner. The men were rounded up, the high council had suggested that I offer them a choice, join us or die.  
The way the men looked at the dragons many of them bent the knee immediately when asked. Those among the ones who didn’t was Lord Randall Tarly and his son Dickon. Of course Jamie Lannister did not kneel but we had put him in the prison that had held Margaery and Garlan.  
“I know your father Queen Nyla we grew up together in the reach, he would not want this for his country. It is time for a new ruler to be picked from among us. The true Westerosi” he said.  
“And I know you Randall Tarly” I said, “I helped your son Samwell get into the citadel so he could get away from you. Will you also treat the people of westeros just as you treat your sons, the one you deem unwanted will be cast down?” He was silent at that, “but you’re right it is time for a change. It’s time for the old to die out and young to take their place. Enough of this nonsense that makes us different. As Princess Daenerys said, “they can live in our new world or they can die in their old one.” I was sure Danaerys was smiling at my quoting of her.   
“That is not what westeros is” he said.  
“But it will be what it will become” I told him and nodded to Brienne who pushed him forward so that he was sat before his men. Dickon had knelt fearing for his own life rather then be beheaded.  
“Let me, your Grace” Brienne said but I stopped her.  
“No” I said and gestured, Morghon and Daria shifted forward.  
“Your Grace, I would like to die an honorable death” Randall said as Tormund shoved him to his knees.  
“Why? When you have not lived an honorable life” I said, “I Queen Nyla Targaryen first of her name, by order of King Jon Targaryen first of his name, King of the Andals and the first men, sentence you to die” Morghon and Daria released their flame on the kneeling man and the rest of the men knelt to join our side. Randall Tarly was simply gone, no bones, no armor to be returned to any crypt or family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I keep updating I’m going to actually have to finish the chapter I’m on. A problem for future me.


End file.
